theme C - the existence of god and revelation

philosophical arguments for and against the existence of god, the nature of divine and revelation, visions, miracles, nature as general revelation

teleological argument

the design argument

what is the design argument

the idea that the world is designed so God exists as a designer, this argument suggests that proof of God’s existence can be seen through the evidence of “design” in the world

who came up with the design argument

William Paley

what book did William Paley write

Natural Theology

what did William Paley believe

that u can know god and you can know he exists through nature

what does William Paley prove and how

the existence of God through nature

what are William Paleys beliefs an example of

general revelation

what are evidence of design in the world

intricacy if the human eye and how it is designed for its purpose, the regularity of the seasons, thumbprints, the way animals are suited to their environments e.g fur

what is Paleys watch maker analogy

if u came across a watch you wouldn’t assume it had come into existence by chance or that it had always been there, whereas if u came across a stone you might assume this. The watch is so well designed for its purpose that it must’ve been designed by a watchmaker. We can apply this logic to the world in the way that the world can’t have come into existence by chance. It is so well designed for that it must’ve had a world maker, which is God as only he has the capability to design an entire world

what does William Paley say leads us to believe in God and find proof of his existence

the observation of nature and how well designed it is

where does William Paley say there is evidence of design

in the world around us

why must have things had a designer

because they’re too complex to be here by chance

Christian scripture that supports the design argument

“The heavens proclaim the glory of god, the skies proclaim the work of his hands” Psalm 19

what does the Christian scripture show and how does it support the design argument

that you can know god through observing the world he created and it supports the design argument as it says through observing the world you can gain knowledge of god, you can find proof he exists

Islamic scripture that supports the design argument

“There are signs for people who use reason” - Quran (Islam)

what does the Islamic scripture show and how does it support the design argument

It shows that if u look at the world around you, you will find signs that God exists, the complexity of the world gives us a sign that there is a designer

Strengths of the design argument

Supported by scripture meaning theists will support this theory, anybody can see the evidence of design for themselves, modern developments (FR Tennants Anthropic Principle,) Christians support and Isaac Newton supports

supported by scripture design argument strength

theists will support this theory

supported by empirical observations design argument strength

this means looking at the same old around you, such as the intricacy of the human eye and how it is designed for its purpose, anybody can see for themselves this evidence of design just by looking at the world

Modern developments, FR tennants anthropic principle ( human centred principle) design argument strength

supports design argument as it says how perfect the worlds conditions are for human life, so it can’t be there by chance. There are 30+ boundary conditions (conditions that facilitate human life) eg gravity, distance of earth from the sun, which proves there must’ve been a designer

Christians support design argument

they believe nature is a source of revelation because it is gods creation eg in a beautiful sunset they see god at work

Isaac newton design argument strength

Believed that the intricacy of the thumb print proves world is designed

criticisms of the design argument

Richard Dawkins (scientist,) philosopher David Hume, John Stuart Mill, Peniclillin, Natural selection and Charles Darwin/ eveloution

quote to criticise design argument

“Natural selection is the blind watchmaker”

Richard Dawkins criticise design argument

“ natural selection is the blind watchmaker “ be a guess there is no designer and that science can explain how the universe and life came into existence without the need for a design/ God. Science had demonstrated that we have all adapted to our environment rather that been designed for it so there is no need for God

Philosopher David Hume criticise design argument

he cristicses the watchmaker analogy and said the world is more like a vegetable than a machine. The world can’t be compare to a watch because it is a man made machine whereas the world is something that could’ve come into existence organically and could’ve grown itself, like we’d say a vegetable grows itself.

John Stuart Mill criticise design argument (philosopher)

the idea of natural theology is flawed as nature does not reveal an all- loving, all knowing , all powerful god because nature is cruel eg people dying in natural disasters. We can say the world is flawed because it causes cruelty. If something would’ve designed and created the world it could not have been the omibenevolent god, so therefore doesn’t prove gods existence

Penicillin criticise design argument

penicillin was an accident so not all complex and amazing things are designed

Natural selection and Charles Darwin/eveloution criticise design argument

species design themselves, the world is always changing and species we’re not made in a fixed way but adapt to their environment and were not designed

Counter argument to evolution disproving design argument

Evolution was gods plan for the development of life, it was the process through which gods creation took place, gods design is found in the process of evolution

first cause argument

Created by Thomas Aquinas a Christian monk. He argued that everything that caused by something else, so he believed the universe must have a cause. He believed the chain of cause and effect couldn’t go back to infinity so there must be an uncaused cause of everything which has to be God because he is enternal and he has the characteristics to do so.

cosmological argument

the first cause argument

when was thomas aquinas alive from

1225-1274CE

what did thomas Aquinas write

several books including Summa Theologica, which gave his proofs of gods existence

what did Thomas Aquinas have 5 of

he spoke of 5 different proofs, the 2nd of which was that God is the first cause

Christian scripture that supports the first cause

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1

This supports the idea that God was the first cause, the uncaused cause and He caused everything else

Islamic scripture that supports the first cause

“God the eternal” - Quran

Supports the first cause because it says god is eternal, so he has already existed, so he had the characteristics to be the uncaused cause/ the unmoved mover

First cause steps

1. Dominos fall, everything has a cause in this world

2. Dominos fall in a sequence, one domino causes another to fall

3. We need to accept everything is caused by something else, but what caused the universe?

4. If the universe had a beginning there must’ve been a cause, but at some point in time there must’ve been a first uncaused cause.

5. This is God

First cause strengths summary

consistent with scripture

compatible with some scientific beliefs

based on empirical observations

the principle of suffice reason

consistent with religious beliefs

consistent with scripture First cause strengths

genesis 1:1, Surah 112, many Christian’s believe this argument is supported by the creation story in genesis 1:1-3 that says before the universe was created God existed and at the command of God, the process of creation began

compatible with some scientific beliefs First cause strengths

it is compatible with the Big Bang theory ( the world and universe resulted when a singularity exploded) because the cause of the Big Bang is unknown it could’ve been god

argument why Big Bang isn’t supported by scripture

Big Bang doesn’t support the story of the world being created in 7 days in genisis in the bible

based on empirical observations First cause strengths

we can observe ourselves that everything had a cause so anyone can see the evidence for this argument eg I drop a pen I am the cause of that pen falling

The principle of sufficient reason First cause strengths

It gives a sufficient reason for the “why there is something rather than nothing,” there must be a good enough reason why the world exists and according to Aquinas this reason must be God, nothing can come from nothing

consistent with religious beliefs First cause strengths

agrees with the beliefs that God is eternal, omnipotent (all-powerful)

Criticisms of the first cause

Bertrand Russel, Big Bang, requires u to believe in God, what caused god, fallacy of composition, steady state theory, biased, undermines typical beliefs about God

Bertrand Russel (philosopher) Criticisms of the first cause

“The universe is just there and that’s all” Bertrand Russel

believed the universe could’ve been the first cause and caused itself

Big Bang Criticisms of the first cause

Big Bang could’ve been first cause

requires u to believe in god Criticisms of the first cause

even if there was a first cause there is no evidence this is god so this argument requires u to believe in god

what caused god? first cause criticism

contradicts itself because it says that everything needs a cause so what caused God?

Fallacy of composition Criticisms of the first cause

(the flaw in an argument that assumes what is true of the parts is true of the whole) just because everything in this universe has a cause doesn’t mean the universe as a whole needed a cause

Steady state theory Criticisms of the first cause

steady state theory argues that universe is eternal and has always existed

biased Criticisms of the first cause

Aquinas Was a monk so he could’ve been biased about the first cause being God

undermines typical beliefs about God criticisms of the first cause

If God caused the world, he must’ve also caused suffering so he can’t be all loving which undermines the typical beliefs about God

miracles

usually good events that contradict the laws of nature which are inexplicable by science eg raised from the dead

what do theists use the term miracles to refer to

an event performed by god that appears to break the laws of nature

what does a miracle need to have

religious significance or purpose such as the strengthening of faith or demonstrating Gods love

what characteristics of god does miracles show

immanence because he is active and interfering in our world

what are miracles often and what do people often see this as

miracles are often very personal and some see this miracle as god showing himself to them

examples of miracles

Jesus and the 37 miracles he supposedly performed eg walking on water, water into wine and radiant people from the dead,

Ganesh drinking a pint of milk,

stigmata - getting wounded in the exact places Christ did during crucifixion eg St Francis of Assi,

Lourdes Grotto healing terminal or incurable eg Jeanne Fretel

The importance of miracles

Suggest a greater being eg God, shows Gods immanence

impact of miracles

Lead to belief in God, strengthen faith, feel closer to God, give comfort,hope, changes lives/history → eg Jesus miracles lead to him having a large following of people

miracles prove Gods existence

confirms gods characteristics

consistent with scripture

explains events

central to religious beliefs

dont always happen to believers

confirms characteristics prove existence of miracles

omnipotent he can do things against the law of nature, ominbenevalent hhe wants to do good for us, immanent he is active in the world

consistent with scripture prove existence of miracles

Holy books contain evidence of miracles

explains events prove existence of miracles

explains events that can’t be explained by science so it’s reasonable to conclude that it’s god

central to religious beliefs prove existence of miracles

Jesus resurrection is a miracle and the revelation of the Quran without these miracles Christianity and Islam wouldn’t exist

happen to non believers prove existence of miracles

miracles don’t always happen to those who believe in God and they often convince people to convert

miracles don’t prove

• alternative explanations eg a medical recovery could have a medical explanation,

• just bc can’t be probed by science now doesn’t mean it won’t,

• misinterpretation of events - just because we don’t have explanation doesn’t mean it’s god

• suggest favouritism which undermines his characteristics - why would he help some and not others

• we can’t all observe evidence of miracles ( if we see we believe)

• Fake miracles for fake or money

Evil

A cause of suffering moral opposite of good

Suffering

An effect of evil, undergoing pain and hardship

2 types of evil

Natural - naturally occurring eg hurricane

Moral - caused by humans eg murder

scripture about problem of evil

“A runaway horse is better than a stone” (St augtistine) Christianity

God wanted to give us free will even if some use free will for evil, the story of Adam and Eve in genesis 3 is a consequence of free will

Inconsistent triad

Evil exists, omnipotent, omnibenevolent

Problems because of evil and suffering

challenges gods existence and his characteristics - he can’t be omnipotent and omnibenevolent if evil exists

reasons for evil and suffering existing

• “Suffering is a consequence of original sin” - catechism 1521 ( Christianity)

• moral evil is a result of human free will (Christian’s believe)

• evil and suffering are a test of faith from god (Islam)

• John hick - experiencing suffering helps us grow

• If there is no suffering there is no opportunity to be good and grow (irenaeus theodicy)

Responses to evil and suffering

• Praying to god for strength, refuge, help etc “God is our refuge and our strength” (Psalm 46) Christian

• Trusting in gods plan and remaining faithful

• Working to alleviate suffering - help those suffering

• Seeing it as an opportunity to grow (John hick - philosopher)

• Asking for forgiveness and forgiving other for wrong