Arguments for the Existence of God

Flashcards based on lecture notes about arguments for the existence of God.

Existence

An objective thing; something either exists in reality or doesn't.

Belief in God

A propositional attitude where one thinks reality includes a god.

Natural Theology

The idea of knowing God through reason, without reference to any particular religion or revelation.

Hermeneutics

The science of textual interpretation.

A Priori Argument

An argument based on reason and logic that doesn't appeal to empirical evidence.

Perfection

A perfect being must contain all perfections, as part of the concept of being complete.

Existence as Perfection

Existence is a quality that makes something more complete. It's better to exist than not to exist.

Omnipotence

Having all power.

Omniscience

Knowing all.

Eternality

Existing always, eternally.

Immaterial Being

Not subject to death and decay, an immaterial being.

Steel Manning

Giving the best representation of an opponent's argument before disproving it.

Straw Man

Dismissing someone's argument by presenting a weak or caricatured version of it.

Reductio ad Absurdum

An argument that reduces the opponent's view to an absurdity.

Definition of God

God is the greatest conceivable being.

The Greatest Conceivable Island

An island that exists someplace in the ocean that’s perfect in every way

Kant's Objection

Claimed that existence isn't a real property.

Applying a quality

Adding a quality to describe how it already exists.

Existence

To add it to a list of qualities of a thing.

Treating Existence

Treats existence as a property or complex using linguistic terms.

Malcolm’s modal version

If God's existence is possible, then it has to always be actual because God is a necessary being, a necessary being exists in all possible worlds.

Paradox of the Stone

Used to describe arguments against God.

God's Existence

Not consistent with the existence of evil.

The Internal Coherence

Making sure that concepts are consistent, clear, and well-defined.

Logic on Paper

Logic is sound on certain things but, doesn't actually make it a thing.

Rationalist

If you can prove it logically, everything else goes out the window.

Sense Misleading

If senses tell you something different than what prove says, senses go out the window.

Empiricist

Says that there is nothing wrong with certain arguments, but something is wrong with the premise.

Do Holes Exist?

A way, yes. In a way, no. holes don't have independent existence. It's just something that's going on your brain or maybe in your mind, but it's not like there's an object in there.

Necessary Being

A necessary being exists in all possible worlds.

Paradox of the Stone

A stone so heavy that God cannot lift it.

Sins of the fathers

The sin of the fathers are inherited by all of the sons

Idea of something

Have an idea of something in the mind means is it there like a little marble rattling around in my head

real Predicate

To add it to a list of qualities of a thing.

Anthropomorphic

To attribute human qualities to a thing that isn't human