If god does not actually exist, such a person will have only a finite loss luxuries 1 it is possible that the christian god exists and it is possible that the christian god does not exist. What are the various arguments that seek to prove the existence of god. There remain many mysteries that are beyond science. Reviews of books with scientific evidence that god exists x. Books by famous philosophers who have written on the nonexistence of god will be used to gather sufficient information on the topic. For the record, i think there are much better books by christians apologists, such as the reason for god by tim keller and the language of god by francis collins. The philosophy of god is a great topic to look into if you want to think a little.
Armstrong clearly shows the intricacy of gods design and the absurdity of the evolutionary model. The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today. It is high time that they be derived from a philosophy without god. The book also includes fascinating insights into the passions, beliefs and struggles of the philosophers and scientists who have tackled the challenge of proving the existence of god, including thomas aquinas, and kurt godel who at the end of his career as a famous mathematician worked on a secret project to prove the existence of god. Many examples showing god s design could be given, possibly with no. List of books and articles about existence of god online. The fields of philosophy of religion and analytic theology show a great amount of sophistication and conceptual richness, so why arent the new atheists. After that first book, i found other books with more scientific evidence. I have onethe very finest railroad watch made, a 23jewel watch. The applicability of mathematics is not just a happy coincidence. The term atheist describes a person who does not believe that god or a divine being exists.
Moral arguments are both important and interesting. The simple fact that billions of people consider themselves to have some allegiance to a deity means that this question deserves to be seriously considered. If god does not exist everything is permitted dostoevsky. Does god exist the debate between theists and atheists by j. If god did not exist, the applicability of mathematics would be just a happy coincidence. Finally, even if one grants that life is meaningless without god, they might question whether god makes a difference. Explore topics arguing god s existence philosophical arguments for god experiential arguments for god arguments against god. The story described the socalled death of god movement then current in american theology. Feb 06, 2018 if god doesnt exist, there is nothing at all surprising about this. A look at 21st century science in light of the theistic and atheistic views of origins. The only kind that filled the need was a railroad watch. If god does not exist, objective moral values do not exist. Moral arguments for god s existence form a diverse family of arguments that reason from some feature of morality or the moral life to the existence of god, usually understood as a morally good creator of the universe. As has already been said, the primary focus of this site is the philosophical argumentsthe ontological argument, the first cause argument, the argument from design, and the moral.
Arguments for the existence of god come in many different forms. Reading the best philosophy books gives us the opportunity to look into those hidden depths and understand our own thinking and behavior at a deeper level, helping us eliminate behavior we dont like. Then, philosophy related to the activity of argue rationally about astonishment. Everybody does philosophy with or without being aware of it. William lane craig says there are good reasons for thinking that he does. God does not exist, we shall never know and shall have lost nothing.
The founding principle of philosophy is perhaps the astonishment, source of the questions. I depend on something else to exist i am a thinking thing and have the idea of god whatever caused me to exist must also be a thinking thing. If we do not believe in god and he does exist we may enjoy a few sinful pleasures. Calling this the most important question in life already at once betrays the leaning of the editors of this book, because the question of god s existence is important only to people who believe. To a modern reader the phrase philosophy of religion might seem strange or even an apparent contradiction of terms. On the other hand, if we do not believe in him but he actually exists, we will get infinite punishment and if we are right about his nonexistence. So, given premises 1,2,5 and my own inclusion 5 based on his words god would at least know that he himself does exist, god does not exist. I cant be the cause of my own existence because if i was i would have given myself all perfections e. The first proof moves from the awareness of a multiplicity of good things to the recognition that they all share or participate more or less in one and the same good, which is supremely good in. I didnt find those books persuasive either, but they were much less exasperating to read and at least stuck.
In philosophy there are two schools of thought regarding how humans come to knowledge and understanding. If we believe in god and he does not exist then at worst all we have forgone is a few sinful pleasures. After over 40 years of not believing that god exists, i was dared by a christian friend to read a book. God is necessarily unknowable, so given premise 1, god does not exist. Discoveries in astronomy have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the universe did, in fact, have a beginning. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The one theology book all atheists really should read religion. Plato, claims god must exist because he is the greatest conceivable being. A wide variety of arguments for and against the existence of god. The argument for god, as presented by aquinas, is to show that the existence of the world and everything in it can only be explained if there is a god who is the first cause. The concept of the question is important for us students to know for the purpose of this class because in a testing environment we have to enable ourselves to remember and look back to the different types of arguments of the existence god. Moral arguments for gods existence form a diverse family of arguments that reason from some feature of morality or the moral life to the existence of god, usually understood as a morally good creator of the universe. We have published more than 500 articles, all seeking directly or indirectly to answer this question.
One funny thing to say about this book is that it presents tself as an aid to help people answer the most important question in life, does god exist. Ive always eagerly read, listen, and disucussed this very serious matter of ultimate questions. If, for example, i am already dedicated to the philosophical idea that nothing can exist outside of the natural realm i. But that does not tell us what a god is, or what category of existence applies to god let us analyze this question by starting with literal aspects of the question first. Well, here is an attempt to candidly offer some of the reasons which suggest that god exists. Worldwide there may be as many as a billion atheists. They are interesting because evaluating their soundness requires attention. If we believe in god and he exists, we will be rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven. As far late as the 17 th century, the term natural philosopher was used to describe what we today might call a scientist as a fun fact, the books that contain isaac newtons demonstration of gravity, planetary motion and classical mechanics in. Kai nielsen is professor emeritus of philosophy at the university of calgary and the author of thirtytwo books and more than four hundred articles. I was surprised to find that there was scientific evidence for the existence of god. According to the scientific revolution by steven shapin, prior to the enlightenment era of the 17 th century, the catholic church often adopted and integrated many theories found in literary works of natural philosophy now known as science written by philosophical greats like aristotle and ptolemy shapin. God does exist, we shall enjoy eternal bliss and gain infinite reward and if we turn out to be wrongi.
Arguments why god very probably exists the conversation. The religious beliefs of gods existence are probably out of human emotional need for protection and belonging since there is no reliable evidence to support these arguments. God, divinity of the three great monotheistic religions, judaism, christianity, and islam, as well as many other world religions. Know first of all that there is no single answer to this question.
There are three main arguments that theists those who believe in god use to demonstrate the existence of god. The best books on the existence of god ed feser on five books. Philosophy of religion involves all the main areas of philosophy. Philosophy of religion stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Moreland, a leading christian philosopher and ethicist, and kai nielsen, one of todays bestknown atheist. Maybe, but this book sure does a lousy job of proving it. Gods existence has been an ongoing debate probably for centuries. In a survey of americans in 2006, 94% said that they believed in the existence of god. God does not know that he exists aka 9, therefore god is necessarily unknowable.
The existence of god by richard swinburne goodreads. Eric anthony karahalis as if the word philosophy is not daunting enough to the average college student, adding the word re ligion at the end makes it even more fearsome. One of the most frequently cited arguments that theists use to reconcile the existence of evil and the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent god is known as the free will defence lets assume it is more or less the same as a theodicy for simplicitys sake. Jan 01, 2006 the big argument is a response to the arguments used by atheists to try to defend their position. Philosophy and the proof of gods existence by roger jones. Other articles where existence of god is discussed. Moreland theist and kai nielsen atheist on the questions does god exist. Its been taken into consideration by many scholar people.
As i have read much atheist literature, i am very aware of their basic arguments, which boil down to the claim that evolutionism puts god out of a job, the existence of evil, and the putative problems with the bible. I needed an accurate watch with a very plain dial for timing broadcasts. The best explanation to the existence of god, is that god does not exist as a first efficient cause. On march 24, 1988, at the university of mississippi, j. At some point, these disciplines gathered critical mass, then completely separated from philosophy once the scientific revolution took hold. Unlike many books of this sort, kreefts introduction aids the reader into the debate and if one is new to the questions of philosophy, the background provided become even more important. Discordance between science and religion did not always exist. Is it possible for a finite mind to know if god exists. Although the idea of god, through its long acceptance by jews, christians, and muslims, has come to be associated with the concept of a good, infinite personality, in recent times the name has been extended to many principles of an utterly different sort. It is also unlikely that they know much at all about what god is like. Philosophy of religion asks all the key questions about god. The existence of god is a subject of debate in the philosophy of religion and popular culture. William lane craig takes the reader on a tour of the arguments and does his best to debunk the notion that belief in god is intellectually indefensible. I am for god s very existence 100%, you would have to do alot of work and persuading to convince me into believing god ceases to exist.
Advances in molecular biology have revealed vast amounts of. Similar books and articles duns scotus on the origin of the possibles in the divine intellect. The big argument is a response to the arguments used by atheists to try to defend their position. List of books and articles about existence of god online research. Watch these man on the street interviews to see what people think. Looking at the philosophers point of view, it is realized that their arguments is driven from two different disciplines which include the epistemology and the ontology. On april 8, 1966, time magazine carried a lead story for which the cover was completely black except for three words emblazoned in bright, red letters against the dark background. A philosophical introduction assesses classical and contemporary arguments concerning the existence of god. What if most modern arguments against religious belief have been attacking the wrong god all along. For centuries kings, rulers, churches, leaders have been treating the people like. Does god exist the question of gods existence has lingered in the mind of man since the dawn of religion.
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