THEO 107 MIDTERM #2

The Enlightenment:

Era focused on science, reason, and questioning religious tradition.

Fideism (Demea):

Belief that religious truth is based on faith, not reason

The Enlightenment:

Era focused on science, reason, and questioning religious tradition.

Fideism (Demea):

Belief that religious truth is based on faith, not reason

Deism (Cleanthes):

God exists and created the world but doesn’t interfere with it, one can arrive at reliable theological conclusions based purely on human powers of observation and reason

Empiricism (Philo):

Knowledge comes from experience and observation, not just logic.

natural theology

knowing god through nature and reason

revealed theology

knowing god through scripture and divine revelation

the argument from design

based on a comparison between the universe and a human artifact

a posteriori argument

reason that is after experience, only draw conclusions after

a priori argument

reason that is prior to experience; based on the concept, you can draw conclusions

he argues that the design argument, which posits that the universe, like a complex machine, must have a designer, relies on a weak analogy. he questions whether the universe is truly comparable to human-made artifacts, suggesting that the universe may be more akin to a vegetable or animal, which are products of a generating force rather than a deliberate design

philo’s critique of the design argument is that it rests on faulty reasoning, explain

cleanthes’ counter argument to the design argument

Even if the world is only somewhat like a machine, it’s enough to suggest a designer.

The argument makes God seem too human and limited, anthropomorphizes god

demea’s objection to the design argument

It treats God like a human craftsman, giving God human qualities.

How does the design argument entail anthropomorphism?

The argument assumes what it’s trying to prove—that the world is like a machine and must have a make

The design argument as a “Question begging” explanation.  Explain.

before him, design was the only explanation for life. Darwin’s theory removed the need for a designer

Dawkins “I could not imagine being an atheist before 1859, when Darwin’s Origin of Species was published.”  Explain why:

because it says it’s either evolution or God, ignoring other options like theistic evolution, etc

Why do typical creationist arguments rest on a false dichotomy?

irreducible complexity

a system where removing any part causes the entire system to cease functioning

understands the concept of faith as one’s ultimate concern– what concerns one ultimately. faith and science ask different questions.

tillich’s distinction between faith and belief: explain how this distinction dissolves the apparent conflict between faith and science:

God of the gaps, gap theology

look at gaps in our scientific knowledge, science isn't able to explain some phenomenon, theologians say its evidence for god. What science can't explain, religion fills the gap Criticism: if your belief system is propped up on what science cannot explain, what happens when science DOES explain it? Faith is constantly in retreat.

Category mistake:

When you take a reality and place it in the wrong category of things, Confusing science and religion as answering the same kinds of questions.

concerns of religion

meaning and value

concerns of science

facts and theories

NOMA Principle:

The principle that the magisterium or domain of science covers the empirical realm, whereas that of religion covers the completely different realm of meaning and value. 

Theological correctness: 

accurate and consistent application of theological principles and doctrines within a specific religious framework

The underlying principle of evolutionary psychology:  

Cognitive and emotional faculties are products of natural selection just as much as are physical structures. We always see things as something—our brains add meaning

Anthropomorphism:

We instinctively project human traits onto animals, nature, and gods.

Animism:

Seeing life or spirits in non-living things.

Guthrie:

Religion is structured anthropomorphism—applying human qualities to the divine

Upstairs/Downstairs structure of the mind:

Our mind has conscious (upstairs) and unconscious (downstairs) parts.

Cognitive unconscious: 

We have conscious access to the products of our mental activity, not its processes. We experience the result of thoughts, but not how we produce them.

Modular nature of the brain: 

The brain has specialized parts for different tasks, shown in disorders. Cognitive pathologies that disable specific mental functions while leaving others fully intact; (evidence)

Social intelligence hypothesis: 

Big brains evolved for social interaction and understanding others.

Theory of mind: 

project mental states onto the world

autism and theory of mind:

shows problems - can't always track others’ beliefs

Mind-body dualism: 

We naturally think of the mind as separate from the body because different brain systems process physical and social info. the intuitive belief that mental reality is distinct from physical reality.  Dualism is a consequence of having two distinct processing systems, one for physical reality, and another for social reality.

Hyperactive agent detection:

a tendency to interpret vague or ambiguous stimuli as caused by a “minded” agent. “Better safe than sorry”

Adaptations vs. by-products:

traits that are products of Darwinian natural selection vs biological structures that were selected for reasons unrelated to the original function

Religious belief as a By-product: 

religious beliefs are merely incidental outcomes of other evolved cognitive functions  

Gene-culture co-evolution:

Human biology and culture evolved together.

Imitation:

We naturally copy others, it facilitates the internalization of accumulated cultural knowledge—key to learning culture.

Customs:

People do things just because they’re traditional, even if they don’t know why.

Cultural faith favored:

Evolution favored people who trust cultural knowledge.

Divination:

crude, random way to make decisions; practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge

PROBLEM: why do humans engage in prosocial behavior? what incentive would it take for someone to help someone else?

The fundamental problem of social life: How do you explain the emergence of cooperative (prosocial, altruistic) behavior by natural selection?

Evolutionary explanations of prosocial behavior:

kin selection and reciprocal altruism 

Kin selection:

Help relatives who share your genes.

Reciprocal altruism:

Help others who’ll help you back.

Conditions for reciprocity:

a long memory of past interactions and a capacity for individual recognition

Larger societies meant more anonymity, making cooperation harder.

Why does the agricultural revolution present a challenge to evolutionary thinking?

Big Gods hypothesis:

Belief in ever watchful, moral gods that encourages prosocial, good behavior, even when no one’s watching. Explains the intertwining of religion and morality

strategic information

information that affects how we interact with other people, refers to a situation in which people make moves the consequences of which depend on other people’s moves

religious beliefs as adaptations

religious beliefs and practices are purposefully evolved traits that enhance survival and reproduction