Philosophy of Religion Review Guide (IB)

Theism

Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

Monotheism

Belief in a single, all-powerful God.

Classical Theism

The conception of God as omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, and immutable.

Atheism

Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of a god or gods.

New Atheism

A contemporary movement advocating for the view that religion should be criticized and countered.

Agnosticism

The view that the existence of a god or the divine is unknown or unknowable.

Strong Agnosticism

Belief that the question of the existence of gods is inherently unknowable.

Weak Agnosticism

Belief that the question of the existence of gods is currently unknown but not necessarily unknowable.

Deism

Belief in the existence of a supreme being who does not intervene in the universe after its creation.

Pantheism

Belief that the universe and God are identical, and everything collectively is God.

Polytheism

Belief in or worship of more than one god.

Cosmological Argument

Argument that everything that exists has a cause; the universe exists, therefore, the universe has a cause, identified as God.

Kalam Cosmological Argument

Argument that everything that begins to exist has a cause; the universe began to exist, therefore, the universe has a cause.

Aquinas's Five Ways

Arguments including Motion, Causation, Contingency, Degrees of Perfection, and Final Cause for the existence of God.

Teleological Argument

Argument that the complexity and order of the universe suggest a designer, similar to a watch implying a watchmaker.

Fine-Tuning Argument

Argument that the precise conditions allowing life in the universe indicate design.

Irreducible Complexity

Some biological systems are too complex to have evolved entirely through natural selection.

Ontological Argument

Argument that the concept of God as the greatest conceivable being implies God's existence as a necessary attribute.

Moral Argument

Argument that the existence of objective moral values and duties points to a moral lawgiver, identified as God.

Problem of Evil

Argument that the existence of evil and suffering is incompatible with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God.

Evidential Problem of Evil

Argument that the amount and nature of unnecessary suffering provide strong evidence against the existence of God.

Divine Hiddenness

Argument that if a loving God existed, God would make His existence more evident to people.

Mystical Experiences

Direct, ineffable experiences of the divine.

Numinous Experiences

Experiences of awe and wonder in the presence of something wholly other.

Conversion Experiences

Life-changing religious transformations.

Fideism

The view that religious belief relies solely on faith rather than reason.

Miracles

Events that appear to violate natural laws and are attributed to divine intervention.

Immortality of the Soul

Belief that the soul lives on after the death of the body.

Omnipotence

All-powerful attribute of God.