PHILOSOPHY - Miracles (Y13)

What is realism?

• View that truth is mind-independent, it exists the way it is regardless of what we think

• Truth is external and objective

What do realists accept?

That they may be wrong but there is an ultimate answer

What will a religious realist believe?

• Miracles happen and they come from an existent God

• They are true even if we don’t understand or acknowledge them

What will an atheist realist believe?

• Miracles aren’t real

• They are coincidences and can be explained

What is the 1st definition of a miracle?

Miracle as an extraordinary coincidence of a beneficial nature

What is the first example for miracles as a coincidence?

• Julian Koepcke

• Was a German Peruvian High-School student

• Her plane crashed on the way to Pacullpa and all on the plane died except her

• She then survived a 9 day journey through the jungle with maggot infested wounds to find help

What is the 2nd example for miracles as a coincidence?

• West Side Baptist Church

• 1950 in Beatrice, USA

• A gas explosion in a church would’ve killed the choir but all 15 were late for separate reasons and so avoided certain death

What are the problems raised by defining a miracle as an extraordinary coincidence?

• Only describes the event, it doesn’t acknowledge a God behind it

What is the 2nd definition of a miracle?

Miracle as an event brought by God or another spiritual power, working through people

Give the first example for miracles as a divine event

• Moses carried out the 10 plagues on Egypt in Exodus given through the powers of Yahweh

• Also instructed by God to part the Red Sea so Egyptian chariots couldn’t catch them

Give the second example for miracles as a divine event

Bernadette had a corporeal vision of Mary who told her to build a statue and dig where she found water that would be healing

What are the problems raised by defining a miracle as a divine event

• Why does God give some a miracle and others not?

• Miracles have to be checked for their veracity but what if no one saw it?

What is the 3rd definition of a miracle?

Miracle as a violation of law

Give David Hume’s definition

A miracle is a transgression of a law of nature by an act of will by a deity or invisible agent

Give Mackie’s viewpoint

• He sees the natural world as a “closed system” most of the time where the laws within it determine what happen

• However a miracle is an intrusion of this from the outside

What are the problems with defining miracles as a violation of law

• Modern science doesn’t accept that natural laws can be violated

• Miracles must be carried out by a God which gives them religious significance but what about the atheists that experience them?

What is the key problem with the 3rd definition of miracles as posed by Hick

• Hick (a theist) believes scientific laws can’t be violated only revised

• If “violations” aren’t possible then they’re just natural events

• “God” is being used as an explanation to fill gaps in science

• Natural laws only depict what’s likely to happen however claims of miracles will be weakened by the strength of evidence supporting natural laws

• If God can intervene in nature why doesn’t He always?

What was Keith Ward’s view on miracles?

Thought that miracles aren’t part of science but can be parts of a web of rational belief fully consistent with science

Define anti-realism

The belief that an opinion is correct if it coheres with your own other views

Summarise RF Holland’s story

• There was a child playing with a toy car on a railway and gets stuck

• A train approaches and it was impossible for him to see the child but somehow the train comes to a stop feet away from it

• The mother thanks God for the miracle but actually the driver had fainted due to a blood clot meaning the train stopped

• As the train stopped the blood clot reached his brain

Why would some call Holland’s story a miracle?

• Driver didn’t actually see the child

• Driver fainting was rare

• Mother involves God

• Is an extraordinary coincidence

Why would some say Holland’s story is not a miracle?

It is within the laws of nature and can be explained naturally

How is Holland’s story anti-realist?

Both views are correct: the driver doesn’t think it’s a miracle but mother does as it fits with her experiences

What are the problems with the anti-realist view?

Two opinions being correct is strange for us

Why did Hume object to miracles?

• Had a focus on science and nature contradicting miracles

• Said testimonies must be false

• Concerned with the evidence for an experience

Was Hume a realist or anti-realist and why?

• Realist

• He believed miracles factually did not happen

Give a quote by Hume to suggest he disagrees with miracles

“A wise man proportions his beliefs to the evidence”

What is Hume’s first objection to miracles?

• The witness needs to be absolutely certain it happened but we can’t be so it is unlikely it happened

• The least likely thing is that the laws of nature are broken so its more likely they are wrong

• Miracles are therefore impossible

How could we argue against Hume’s first objection?

• Hume thinks laws of nature are prescriptive and fixed but what if the laws are wrong

• This is an inductive argument, it is only probable he is correct

What is Hume’s 2nd objection?

People who believe in miracles are stupid

How can we argue against Hume’s 2nd objection?

• This doesn’t use evidence or reason it is simply an opinion

• There are intellectuals who believe in miracles

Give Hume’s 3rd objection

People believing in miracles just want confirmation of their existent beliefs

How could we challenge Hume’s 3rd objection?

Just because it confirms something doesn’t disprove its veracity

What is Hume’s 4th objection?

Miracles originate from less scientific/educated areas like the East

How could we challenge Hume’s 4th objection?

Western countries claim miracles too eg: Lourdes, France

What is Hume’s 5th objection to miracles?

All religions claim miracles so they cancel eachother out

How can we argue against Hume’s 5th objection?

• Pluralism ( as suggested by William James) says all can be right

• Alternatively one is right and the others are wrong

What is Hume’s 6th objection to miracles?

Believing in miracles is a miracle as it defies all sense and reason

How can we challenge Hume’s final objection?

That’s the point, miracles are supposed to challenge evidence and science

Summarise Wiles’ position in regards to miracles

• God doesn’t act through miracles

• If he did it would be immoral as he only helps some and not others

• This would suggest he is arbitrary (random) or partisan (biased)

• The problem of evil would still be a problem as he should be able to intervene

• A God who does miracles is not worthy of worship

• We should take the anti-realist view - miracles are myths about combating evil

• The only act of God is creation

• Likely a liberal Christian

What is Wiles’ 1st objection to miracles?

Miracles are symbolic stories not to be taken literally - when taken literally it causes argument and unnecessary debate

What is Wiles’ 2nd objection to miracles?

God picks and chooses who gets miracles, we aren’t equal in his eyes?

What is Wiles’ 3rd objection to miracles?

Why would God perform miracles in trivial moments and not when it’s most needed at times of suffering

E.g: When Jesus turned water into wine

What is Wiles’ 4th objection to miracles?

Why is he not helping when it is most needed (B Hebblethwaite)

What is Wiles’ 5th objection to miracles?

Miracles are symbolic stories, Jesus’ miracles are stories of good overcoming evil

What is Wiles’ 6th objection to miracles?

The creation of the world is the only miracle

What are the problems with Wiles’ views?

• Feels like it limits God

• Do miracles challenge his omnipotence/ omnibenevolence?

• Wiles contradicts miracles in the Bible and current ones eg: Lourdes = Religion has no basis

• No point worshipping a God that doesn’t interact with us

• His view is similar to Deism (God created the world and that’s it) but Wiles rejected this view