RS - Philosophy of Religion

Epistemology

Study of knowledge and how we acquire it.

Atheism

the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods

Theism

belief in God or gods

Agnostic

a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God

Faith

complete trust or confidence in someone or something

scientific hypothesis

a tentative explanation of something which you can go onto test by the scientific method

verification

only statements that are empirically verifiable are meaningful

falsifiability

only statements which are open to falsification are meaningful

knowledge acquired by reason

knowledge gained through the use of logic or reflection on what we already know, e.g. realising I shouldn't step on sharp things from previous experience and it being painful

knowledge acquired by experience

knowledge that come through the use of our senses, e.g. having smelt landfill before and knowing that it doesn't smell nice

knowledge acquired by testimony

knowledge gained through other people, e.g. being taught the the pythagoras theorem

moral evil

Actions performed by humans that cause suffering

natural evil

Things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans

omniscient

all-knowing

omnipotent

all-powerful

Omnibenevolent

All loving

transcedent

beyond space and time

immanent

within the world

perfect

without flaws

eternal

no end and no beginning

paradox

a statement that is self-contradictory

Problem of Evil

How it is possible for there to be evil in a world created by an all-good, all-powerful, and all-knowing being.

the freewill defence

The theory that a good, omnipotent God can exist at the same time as evil because he has chosen to limit himself so as to provide us with the gift of freewill, necessary to achieve moral perfection. Evil and the resultant suffering is caused by people misusing this gift

Soul Making Theodicy

God allows evil to exist to help develop humans with courage and compassion

Augustinian Theodicy

the world was originally good but evil came into the world with the fall and now we pay the price

god is mysterious (sceptical theism)

cannot comprehend because God is transcendent and ultimately there are goods in the afterlife beyond our understanding