Unapologetic Review – Part 9: Analysis of Reason #9
A KEY PASSAGE FROM PART 2 OF THIS SERIES: It appears to me that just as Chapter 5 is the heart of the book, and that the 10 Reasons are the heart of Chapter 5, so also I believe that Reason #9 (which concerns opposition to “faith-based claims”) for ending philosophy of religion is at … Unapologetic Review – Part 9: Analysis of Reason #9
Unapologetic Review – Part 8: Religion & Irrationality
Mr. Loftus is on a crusade against “faith”, but it is not at all clear what dragon it is that he intends to slay. A part of his point, I believe, is to boldly assert that religion and religious belief is irrational. I’m reluctant to disagree with this point. There is a good deal of … Unapologetic Review – Part 8: Religion & Irrationality
A Very Unscientific Survey of Some Popular Responses to the Problem of Evil
I recently defended Paul Draper’s evidential argument from evil (specifically, facts about pain and pleasure) against William Lane Craig’s popular objections. (LINK) I decided to browse his website discussion forum devoted to the problem of evil. I was struck by some of the responses used by the people posting there (who should not be confused … A Very Unscientific Survey of Some Popular Responses to the Problem of Evil
Unapologetic Review – Part 7: Two Definitions of “Faith”
The Two Main Definitions of “Faith” in Unapologetic There are seven short statements in Unapologetic that appear to be definitions of the word “faith”. The definition given in Chapter 1 (p.37) is an incomplete version of the definition given in Chapter 2. The definition given in Chapter 2 is clear and worthy of serious consideration: … Unapologetic Review – Part 7: Two Definitions of “Faith”
In Defense of an Evidential Argument from Evil: A Reply to William Lane Craig
Abstract: In a popular article about general arguments from evil against the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good God, William Lane Craig raises objections to such arguments that are consistent with those he earlier raised against Paul Draper’s evidential pain-and-pleasure argument from evil in an oral debate with Draper in 1998. In this article … In Defense of an Evidential Argument from Evil: A Reply to William Lane Craig
Science Matters
Will science matter in the Trump Administration? All signs are that it will not. Indeed, not only will science not matter, it will be actively opposed. The title of Lawrence Krauss’s article “Donald Trump’s War on Science,” published in the December 13 New Yorker, sounds alarmist. After all, haven’t we heard hype from the right … Science Matters
Geisler’s Five Ways – Part 11: The Structure of Geisler’s Case
I’m going to take a step back in this post and look at the overall structure of Geisler’s case for the existence of God, a presented in When Skeptics Ask (hereafter: WSA). PHASE 1: GEISLER’s FIVE WAYS On pages 15 through 26, Geisler presents five arguments for five conclusions. I call this Phase 1 of … Geisler’s Five Ways – Part 11: The Structure of Geisler’s Case
Black Holes and the Problem of Evil
Data produced by the Hubble Space Telescope show that the brightest supernova ever recorded was actually a star being torn apart by a black hole in what is being called the ASASSN-15lh event. This has a high “coolness factor” for astronomy enthusiasts. But I couldn’t help but wonder a little whether there were any planets … Black Holes and the Problem of Evil
The Empirical Confirmation of Miracle Claims
Is the empirical confirmation of miracles possible, in principle? Hume has often been interpreted as denying the possibility. However, Hume does say that it is conceivable that there could be testimony for a miraculous event that is so unlikely to be false that it would be a “greater miracle” for the testimony to be false … The Empirical Confirmation of Miracle Claims
Geisler’s Five Ways – Part 10: The Goodness of the Creator
REVIEW OF MY EVALUATION OF GEISLER’S CASE (SO FAR) In Phase 1 of his case for the existence of God, Norman Geisler presents five arguments for five different conclusions: In Phase 2 of his case for the existence of God, Geisler presents more arguments for conclusions about the attributes of “the” being that caused the … Geisler’s Five Ways – Part 10: The Goodness of the Creator