Lowder-Vandergriff Debate on God’s Existence Now Out!
I’m pleased to announce that my debate on God’s existence with Mr. Kevin Vandergriff is now out! Here are the options for accessing the debate. Topic and Format The topic and format for our debate was as follows. Topic: Naturalism vs. Christian Theism: Where Does the Evidence Point? Format: Mr. Lowder’s Opening Statement: 20 minutes Mr. Vandergriff’s … Lowder-Vandergriff Debate on God’s Existence Now Out!
Horia George Plugaru: The Argument from Physiological Horrors (2003)
This was recommended to me, but I haven’t read it yet. Please feel free to debate in the combox. P1: If human beings: (1) would produce extremely disgusting, abhorrent, horrible, pestilential, totally ugly results, (2) those results would be due to no fault of their own, (3) assuming that (some of) those results would help … Horia George Plugaru: The Argument from Physiological Horrors (2003)
The Evidential Argument from Biological Evolution: Part 1
Many conservative Christians and lay atheists alike claim that if biological evolution is true, then God does not exist. Ironically, while many conservative Christians have attacked evolution because it supposedly entails atheism, only one contemporary atheist philosopher has argued that evolution is evidence for atheism: Paul Draper. Draper defends an evidential argument from evolution for naturalism. … The Evidential Argument from Biological Evolution: Part 1
Schellenberg’s Defense of Nonresistant Nonbelief / Divine Hiddenness
In this post, I want to summarize J.L. Schellenberg’s defense of the claim that nonresistant nonbelief exists (or, synonymously, divine hiddenness obtains). As I’ve explained before, Schellenberg’s most recent formulation of that argument is as follows. (1) Necessarily, if God exists, anyone who is (i) not resisting God and (ii) capable of meaningful conscious relationship with … Schellenberg’s Defense of Nonresistant Nonbelief / Divine Hiddenness
Repost: Brittany Maynard and the Problem of Evil
In case you’ve been under a rock (or you’re reading this in the future when it is an old, archived post), Brittany Maynard, a women with terminal brain cancer, died by assisted suicide last weekend in the U.S. state of Oregon, where it is legal. Brittany’s life and death are an especially tragic combination of two … Repost: Brittany Maynard and the Problem of Evil
Questions Concerning the Existence of God
It does not look like I can retire this year, maybe next year (it could happen!). But I think I will start my ten-year plan to develop a multi-volume critique of Christianity in January, even if I’m still working my 9 to 5 job. Part of evaluating Christianity is evaluating the fundamental metaphysical claim that … Questions Concerning the Existence of God
Link: Darwin’s Argument from Evil by Paul Draper
Draper’s chapter was published in Yujin Nagasawa (ed.), Scientific Approaches to the Philosophy of Religion. Palgrave Macmillan. 49 (2012). It’s available online for free courtesy of Google Books. LINK
Link: Why the Argument from Causal Closure Against the Existence of Immaterial Things is Bad
I am quoting the abstract of this paper here, without comment pro or con, for interested readers who may wish to read the paper for themselves. Feel free to debate in the combox. Abstract. Some argue for materialism claiming that a physical event cannot have a non-physical cause, or by claiming the ‘Principle of Causal Closure’ to … Link: Why the Argument from Causal Closure Against the Existence of Immaterial Things is Bad
Whitcomb’s Grounding Argument for Atheism and Reply by Rasmussen et al
I am quoting the abstract of these papers here, without comment pro or con, for interested readers who may wish to read the papers for themselves. Feel free to debate in the combox. Whitcomb’s argument for atheism: Abstract I’m going to argue that omniscience is impossible and therefore that there is no God. The argument turns on … Whitcomb’s Grounding Argument for Atheism and Reply by Rasmussen et al
One Problem with Swinburne’s Case for God – Part 2
In a previous post I pointed out three different problems related to the third argument in Richard Swinburne’s systematic case for the existence of God. The third argument is the final argument of his arguments from the nature of the universe. It is his Teleological Argument from Spatial Order (hereafter: TASO):(e3) There is a complex physical … One Problem with Swinburne’s Case for God – Part 2