Philosophy and Worldview

Relativism

Relativism

everything is relative to me, my group, and my situation; i must accept and affirm others

Atheism

there is no god

Deism

there is a god but he is not involved

Materialism

material and physical is more important than spiritual

Nihilism

all is nothing and there is no meaning

Existentialism

experiences gives life meaning

Christian Theism

there is a personal God who redeems

Postmodernism

questions the assumptions of modernism; there is no greater narrative; against absolute truth

Islam

the good you do in life must outweigh the bad

St. Thomas Aquinas

5 ways to defend the existence of God; we use reason to reach revelation

Pluralists

everything is not 1; opposite of the Milesians

Pythagoras

formulas, logic, knowledge; theorems prove truth

Augustine

you can’t deny your or God’s existence; truth is superior to reason; Patristic

Plato

Theory of forms; forms gives purpose to things

Heraclitus

we are always changing; “you can’t step in the same river twice”

Nietzche

We don’t need God; we can make our own meaning and purpose; God is dead and we killed him; father of Atheism

Milesians

existence is unity; all diversity is unified somehow

Descartes

“I think therefore I am”/ “Cogito Ergo Sum”; lofic and reason tells us what is; My thinking validates and confirms my existence

Worldview is . . .

a commitment; fundamental orientation of your heart

a worldview . . .

expresses the presuppositions we hold about the reality of our existence; provides the foundation for which we live

Nietzche proposed . . .

we don’t need God; God is dead and we killed him

Neitzche’s reasoning was . . .

God was holding us back; belief in God is meaningless; we can make our own meaning and purpose; you don’t need meaning after this existence if you have meaning in life

Sire’s 7 essential questions:

1. Prime Reality

2. External Reality

3. Human?

4. After death?

5. Knowledge

6. Good vs. Evil

7. Human History

Zacharias’ 4 essential questions:

1. Origin

2. Meaning

3. Morality

4. Destiny

Prime Reality

What is real? What is the first real? What is ultimate reality?

External Reality

What is the world around us?

Human?

What is the human?

After death

What happens to humans after death?

Knowledge

Why do we know anything? How do we know anything?

Good vs. Evil

How do we know right from wrong?

Human History

What is the point of human history? What is our purpose on earth?

Origin

Where do we come from?

Meaning

What is our purpose?

Morality

How do we know right vs. wrong?

Destiny

What happens after death?

Truth is . . .

primarily a property of propositions

Correspondence theory

statement agrees with reality

Coherence theory

not contradictory to other statements

Logical consistency

agrees with sense

Experiential relevance

relevant to experiences

empirical adequacy

observable enough

PM Prime Reality

I construct reality

PM External Reality

I construct it

PM Humans?

I give myself meaning

PM Afterlife

I decide; nothingness; unknown

PM Knowledge

Truth and knowledge is hidden; all you can do is tell stories

PM Good vs. Evil

social constructs; socially accepted narratives

PM Human History

History can change at any time

CT Prime Reality

God- yHwH and I Am, Jehovah, Jirah, God who sees, shepherd; creator, infinity, sovereign, immanent (personal- father, savior, friend), transcendent, triune, redeemer

CT External Reality

God’s creation- ex nihlo (out of nothing)

CT Humans?

imago dei (image of God); innate value and worth; image bearer and re-creator; look like God and share attributes

CT Afterlife

Heaven (redeemed existence and in God’s presence; faith that Jesus is our Savior); Hell (away from God; punishment; rejects that Jesus saves)

CT Knowledge

revelation: special and general (we discover these); knowledge is knowable, reliable, objective, sure and predictable; know truly but not perfectly or comprehensibly

CT Good vs. Evil

God defines morality; discover and submit

CT Human History

linear: creation, fall, redemption (redemptive history: OT and Jesus), 2nd coming; God oversees and interacts