The Moral Argument for the existence of God has been graced with a long tradition of defense from theistic (and atheistic!) philosophers and thinkers throughout the history of Western thought...and a long tradition of misunderstandings and objections by even some of the most brilliant minds. To be fair, the argument is not always as intuitive as theists like to think it is. … [Read more...]
Kill Thy Neighbor
Theologian and Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer believed that the arts (music, paintings, drama, movies, etc.) reflected the true inner philosophy and beliefs of a society. This being the case, it was not uncommon to find him lecturing in his Swiss L’Abri community not only on the teachings of Christ but on topics such as the metaphysics of the rock group Led … [Read more...]
GOD: The Best Explanation?
What is the most plausible way to explain the features that we observe about our universe? In this first installment of our new miniseries, "GOD: The Best Explanation?", we begin to investigate whether a personal Creator God might or might not be a good explanation to the variety of features we observe in our Reality. In this video we also discuss 4 features of a strong … [Read more...]
Is Naturalism Rational? The Self-Defeating Epistemology Behind Evolutionary Theories of Cognition (Part 2)
This is Part 2 in a 3 part series on evolutionary theories of cognition. This part discusses Alvin Plantinga's Argument from Proper Function. Part 1 examined C.S. Lewis’ Argument from Reason and part 3 will cover Plantinga’s Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism. See Part 1 of this article here. Alvin Plantinga’s Argument from Proper Function Alvin Plantinga advances two … [Read more...]
If materialism, are there subjects?
In this post I seek to establish one premise: If materialism is true, there are no subjects. There has been much extended discussion in my post on atheism's universe, wherein (in the comments) I asserted that, on atheism, there are no subjects. It is high time I clarified my position and drew out its implications. Materialism and Atheism My argument is based upon a … [Read more...]
The Remarkable Design of the Eukaryotic Cell Cycle
Have you ever wondered how the eukaryotic cell knows when to transition from one phase of its cycle to the next? How does the cell know to begin DNA replication (S phase) or mitosis (M phase), or to enter the two "gap phases" (G1 and G2) that separate them? How are previous phases halted and new phases initiated? What quality-control measures are in place to minimize … [Read more...]
Of mermaids and God
Awhile back I was amused to see that the BBC had a news story entitled, No evidence of mermaids, say US government. According to the article, a broadcast on mermaids, which was a work of fiction, was mistaken as a documentary. This led to people questioning if mermaids actually existed, and the National Ocean Service stating, “No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been … [Read more...]
Moral Ontology And Metaethics
The argument from morality is an argument for the existence of God which explores the metaethical basis of moral rules, in particular their ontological basis. In order to better understand the argument and whether or not it is successful it is important that theists and atheists have a clear concept of what metaethics is and the different positions that philosophers have held. … [Read more...]
A Presentation of the Ontological Argument
Over recent months I have given special attention to the ontological argument for the existence of God [1], drawing upon a framework first purposed by St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109). In this post, I hope to deal with Anselm’s argument in an explanatory manner as well as deal with in some length on the nature of modal logic and its application to this argument. Robert … [Read more...]
Do Any Atheists Live In A Moral Vacuum?
Can an atheist really be good without God? This seems to be an age old question and something organizations like the Illini Secular Student Alliance (ISSA) would have you believe with billboards and advertisements to boot. Well, what does God think? Does God agree with this sentiment that someone can be good while not believing in Him? Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool hath said in … [Read more...]