Post the First, by Jennifer Michael Hecht
Dear Bleaders, Hecht here. I’m new in these parts so will start with a few introductory introductions. To wit, I call anyone reading any blog I write my “bleader” for the obvious wordscrunch and also because I like reminding us that we are mortal. Also while often “breeder” means nesting heterosexual, blood is something many … Post the First, by Jennifer Michael Hecht
Links and News — 19-Nov-11
Moment of Zen: “Best Statistics Question Ever” (be sure to read not only the question but at least some of the 700+ comments posted so far) Exchanges Involving Secular Outpost Contributors: Defending the Argument from Consciousness Stephen Law and Ed Feser have an ongoing exchange regarding Law’s evil God challenge (EGC): see here, here, here, … Links and News — 19-Nov-11
Help Wanted – Part 4
A key premise in Swinburne’s (deductive) argument in defense of his inductive version of the Cosmological argument (TCA) goes like this: (TCA9) The probability that there will be a complex physical universe given that God does not exist is low. (EOG, p.151) Swinburne has provided an explanation of his reasoning in support of this premise … Help Wanted – Part 4
The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 3
In part 2 of my series on the evidential Argument from Scale (AS), I concluded that neither metaphysical naturalism nor theism explain the evidence regarding the scale of the universe, if we restrict our background knowledge to the two propositions I identified as B1 and B2. In this post, I want to explore the effect of … The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 3
Hume’s Beautiful Argument
In two of my classes this term we have been reading Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Whenever I read his Section X, “Of Miracles,” I am once again struck by the beauty, simplicity, and the power of his argument. Oceans of ink have been spilled by philosophers commenting on this argument, and many of … Hume’s Beautiful Argument
Radio Think Atheist
Here is a link to a recent radio recording: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thinkatheist/2011/11/14/episode-34-dr-graham-oppy-nov-13-2011 It may be of interest to some people who read this blog.
The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 2
Originally published on 14-Nov-11; updated 20-Nov-11 In part 1 of my series on the evidential Argument from Scale (AS), I concluded that Everitt’s formulation of AS is unsuccessful. At the same time, however, I said that there is something about the AS I find intuitive and so I wanted to try revising AS as a … The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 2
LINK: William Lane Craig and the Immorality of Apostasy
J. Quinton addresses William Lane Craig’s response to a young Christian struggling with doubt, in which Craig called Internet Infidels websites “literally pornographic.” LINK
Jennifer Michael Hecht Has Joined The Secular Outpost!
I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Michael Hecht has agreed to join The Secular Outpost as a contributor. Dr. Hecht is the author of three history books and two volumes of poetry and she is currently serving as one of the five judges for the Nonfiction category of the 2010 National Book Award. Her … Jennifer Michael Hecht Has Joined The Secular Outpost!
The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 1
There is something about Nicholas Everitt’s argument from scale for atheism that appeals to my intuitions, but I haven’t been able to quite put my finger on what it is. So I’m going to try to reformulate the argument from scale as a Bayesian argument. Before I do, however, let’s review Everitt’s formulation of the argument. … The Argument from Scale (AS) Revisited, Part 1