Belief, Uncertainty and Unbelief

The Design Argument The Cosmological Argument Arguments against God's existence P1-S1.6 : Belief, Uncertainty and Unbelief Religious Experience Nurture + Upbringing Only possible explanation P1-S1.6 : Belief, Uncertainty and Unbelief 1. The Design Argument 1.1. the main argument 1.1.1. based on 1.1.1.1. empirical + objective evidence 1.1.2. definitions 1.1.2.1. Design – when things in the universe appear to be connected in a way which suggests purpose or a designer 1.1.3. scholar / points 1.1.3.1. william paley (1743 - 1805) 1.1.3.1.1. compared the universe to a watch 1.1.3.1.2. If you come across a rock, you would assume It had always been there But if you come across a watch you wouldn't think that the parts come together by chance, you think an intelligent being had put the moving parts together to fufill a purpose (to tell the time) 1.1.3.1.3. The universe is far more complex than a watch and is full of examples of design 1.1.3.1.4. Only possible designers, of something as complex + intricate as the universe is God! 1.2. problems with the argument 1.2.1. Design (order + purpose) can be explained by evolution 1.2.2. Darwin showed that species adapt to their environment to ensure survival of the fittest 1.2.3. The existence of the natural world and moral evil is evidence of chaos + lack of purpose in the world. 1.2.4. The argument only proves the existence of a designer, not who he/she is. The designer could be many Gods or an evil God. 1.2.5. Hubble – critism of the argument, heat and sound waves form the original big bang 2. The Cosmological Argument 2.1. the main argument 2.1.1. based on 2.1.1.1. empirical + objective evidence 2.1.2. definitions 2.1.2.1. Causation – the system of causes and effects in the universe (which suggest a first cause) 2.1.2.2. First cause – the belief that as everything has a cause, there must be a first cause of the world and that is God. 2.1.3. scholar / points 2.1.3.1. St Thomas Aquinas argued in 1270: 2.1.3.2. - Everything has a cause - Nothing can cause itself or it would have to exist before it existed - Therefore everything is caused by something else - An infinite regress of causes is impossible, because something must have started the cause + effect chain 2.2. problems with the argument 2.2.1. Big bang caused the universe, not God But: what caused the big bang? God? 2.2.2. Richard hawking, world's leading physicist, says no, the laws of physics prove the universe created itself spontaneously 2.2.3. Why should the causes stop with God? If everything needs a cause, so does God. 2.2.4. Some Christians do not like it because it suggests that God is a power/energy not a personal/imminent God. (not a problem for hindus, ties in with idea of brahman) 3. Religious Experience 3.1. the main argument 3.1.1. based on 3.1.1.1. Sense + observation of the world around us 3.1.1.2. personal experience + subjective evidence 3.1.2. definitions 3.1.3. scholars 3.1.3.1. William James (scholar, American philosopher) ; believes if the experience changed a person's life + improve their wellbeing, they are trusted an reliable 3.1.4. points 3.1.4.1. A god who is experienced is no longer an abstract idea, the conclusion of a reasoned idea 3.1.4.2. God has been directly encountered therefore must exist 3.1.4.3. These have a significant effect on a person's life 3.1.5. examples 3.1.5.1. Lourdes - france 3.1.5.1.1. Modern day healings 3.1.5.1.2. Famous for it's healing waters, miracles happen there 3.1.5.1.3. Small village in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains 3.1.5.1.4. 70 confirmed miracles since first apparition appeared to a 14-year old girl in 1858 3.1.5.2. Saul's conversion 3.1.5.2.1. A man called Saul who tried to persecute the Christians, he heard Jesus, went blind + then was healed, regained his strength then was baptised. 3.2. problems with the argument 3.2.1. Experiences are subjective, cannot be tested by others 3.2.2. May be a lie, exaggerating or simply mistakes 3.2.3. Might be imagining the whole thing, wishful thinking 3.2.4. Christians meet jesus/mary not shiva? Why? 3.2.5. But ; what is you trusted the person, had an experience yourself? 4. Nurture + Upbringing 4.1. the main argument 4.1.1. points 4.1.1.1. Argues that beliefs + values can be impacted by a person's upbringing 4.1.1.2. Many Christians had a Christian upbringing and will go on to raise their children this way 4.1.1.3. How? - Sunday school, preaching, worship, fesitvals, baptism, prayer 4.1.1.4. Does it result in belief in God? 4.1.1.4.1. Young children copy their parents 4.1.1.4.2. Church/sunday schools help understand beliefs 4.1.1.4.3. Community = comfort + joy 4.1.2. based on 4.1.2.1. personal experience + subjective evidence 4.2. problems with the argument 4.2.1. scholar / points 4.2.1.1. Richard Dawkins ; biologist, Atheist 4.2.1.2. Argues that religious upbringing is mental abuse, claims it is indoctrination 4.2.1.3. Forming the views of someone before they have the ability to decide for themselves 4.2.1.4. Scars children psychologically images of punishment in hell 4.2.2. rejection of god 4.2.2.1. May learn of other belief 4.2.2.2. Negative experience from upbringing 5. Only possible explanation 5.1. the main argument 5.1.1. the belief that the existence of the universe requires an explanation, and the explanation is that God created it 5.1.2. based on 5.1.2.1. empirical + objective evidence 5.1.3. scholar points 5.1.3.1. Leibniz in1730 : points to the principle of sufficient reason 5.1.3.2. All things in the universe exist for a sufficient reason + has an ultimate explanation for it outside itself 5.1.3.3. Since everything has a sufficient reason, the universe must have one too 5.1.3.4. God must of created it since nothing else inside the universe could of created it (e.g. a book, contains pages + info but the suffcient reason for it is outside of the actual obect, with the author) 5.2. problems with the argument 5.2.1. Big bang is a sufficient reason for the ultimate explanation of the universe ; not God 5.2.2. Bertrand Russel (atheist) ; Universe may be a "blunt fact" 5.2.3. Makes god a 'explanation' rather than person (Christians feel this does not prove enough, not problem for hinduism) 6. Arguments against God's existence 6.1. feurbach (then later freud) 6.1.1. people make God what they need, not who he is 6.1.2. Wishful thinking 6.1.3. 'God is no more than a projection of a man' 6.1.4. God is said to have amazing qualities ; omnibenevolent etc. 6.1.5. Yet there is still evil in the world 6.1.6. Science – big bang theory, more evidence than religion 6.2. hubble 6.2.1. We can still see sound + heat waves from the original big bang 6.3. evil 6.3.1. evil exists although god has all of these amazing characteristics