“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” I Corinthians 15:22 What exactly did the writer of the first three chapters of Genesis mean to communicate about the origin of mankind? Views vary drastically within Christendom about where Adam came from in the material sense and even whether or not he was a historical individual at all. The debate shows no signs … [Read more...]
Nietzsche and Two Unpleasant Implications of Darwinism
“There was a type of enjoyment in overpowering and interpreting the world in the manner of Plato,” contended Friedrich Nietzsche, “different from the enjoyment offered by today’s physicists, or by the Darwinians and anti-teleologists who work in physiology, with their principle of the ‘smallest possible force’ and greatest possible stupidity”(Nietzsche 2002, 15-16) Nietzsche’s … [Read more...]
Presuppositions of Science
Often I am told that science should be the ultimate arbitrator of truth. While it would be nice if this were true it just does not hold up under scrutiny. Science would need to be the final authority on all matters and while that might be a nice thought, it can't stand under its own weight. We should believe only what can be scientifically proven. But is such a statement … [Read more...]
Are There Two Different Creation Stories in Genesis?
A Tale of Two Stories Ever met someone who said you shouldn’t trust the Bible because of contradictions in the text? I remember talking with a skeptic I’ll call “Julie” while travelling to Northern California from down south. I don’t remember how the conversation began, but I do remember that she was pretty sure that we couldn’t trust anything written in the Bible. Why? She … [Read more...]
Who Is Peeta? Identity, Persistence, and the Hunger Games
The Hunger Games and Philosophy provides an excellent springboard from which to dive into some key themes in this incredibly popular trilogy. In "Who is Peeta Mellark? The Problem of Identity in Panem," Nicolas Michaud uses Peeta's post-torture persona to look at the problem of personal identity. I will do my best to adequately represent her argument, as well as provide a … [Read more...]
Darwin and the Hunger Games
The Hunger Games and Philosophy provides an excellent springboard from which to dive into some key themes in this incredibly popular trilogy. Abigail Mann's contribution, “Competition and Kindness: The Darwinian World of the Hunger Games,” offers some insight into how this series looks when viewed through the lens of Darwinian theory. I will do my best to adequately represent … [Read more...]
The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism
Notable atheist and Oxford biologist Richard Dawkins once remarked to A.J. Ayer at an Oxford college dinner that he couldn’t imagine being an atheist before 1859, the year Darwin's Origins of the Species was published: "[A]lthough atheism might have been logically tenable before Darwin, Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.” However, according to … [Read more...]
Nietzsche’s Rejection of Darwinian Evolution
“The error of the Darwinist school has become a problem for me: ” wrote Friedrich Nietzsche, “how can one be so blind as to fail to see clearly here? … That the species represent progress is the most unreasonable assertion in the world:” (Nietzsche 2003, 258) In a period of ten years, Nietzsche drifted from admiring Darwin and his company as “great names of England” to … [Read more...]
Isn't God a placebo?
Consider the skeptical claim that “religion only serves to provide an empty hope that helps us manage our fears.”[1] God is a placebo. This all too common sentiment deserves a careful response, if only because of its proven rhetorical power to both discourage believers and bolster unbelievers against belief. Naturally as a Christian I agree that most religions offer false … [Read more...]
Can We Be Good Without God?
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: This question needs to be approached in the context that the skeptic poses it. As a Christian, it is tempting to go right to Romans 3:10 and respond that there is no one who is good. However, taking this … [Read more...]
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