Valerie Tarico on the Most Harmful Religious Ideas
We have had an interesting discussion about Karen Armstrong’s essay “The Myth of Religious Violence.” While it is nice to engage with such erudite essays, it is also nice to find something that cuts right through the fog and lays everything out. As a short summary of the harm that religion has done, I think it is … Valerie Tarico on the Most Harmful Religious Ideas
Is Religious Violence a Myth?
Karen Armstrong is a prolific author on topics in comparative religion. She is a former nun and liberal Christian who has a gift for writing that is both scholarly and readable. I admire her book A History of God, a genuine tour-de-force that traces the history of monotheism, showing how the concept of God has … Is Religious Violence a Myth?
Terrorist Outrage in Paris
I am angry. Very angry. We know that Islamic fanatics are mad dogs whose very humanity has been consumed by their devotion to a rabid religion. We have seen them massacre whole communities of innocent people for no reason other than religious bigotry. We have seen them kidnap hundreds of girls and young women then … Terrorist Outrage in Paris
Strategies for the Problem of Evil
A recent post on the problem of evil (PoE) drew over 250 comments, a new record, I think. The comments were lively, but went in various directions, making it hard to follow a clear thread of argument after a while. Here I would like maybe to help focus discussion by offering my synopsis of the … Strategies for the Problem of Evil
Index: Draper’s Evidential Argument from Biological Evolution
The purpose of this page is to provide an index for my blog series on Paul Draper’s evidential argument against theism based on biological evolution. See also:
Is Intentionality a Cardinal Problem for Physicalism?
This response is based on the summary by Joel Steinmetz of an article by John Haldane: http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/calhoun/socratic/Steinmetz-Problem_of_Intentionality.pdf It is not based on the not the original article by Haldane, so my remarks here must be regarded as provisional and informal. Still, I would like to address a few points. Haldane’s argument, as presented here, is … Is Intentionality a Cardinal Problem for Physicalism?
Critical Thinking and Skepticism – Part 3
John Loftus did a short post on this topic back in May. Based on that post, it is clear that we agree there is a close connection between critical thinking and skepticism. Here are two of his statements along those lines: …to think critically is to think skeptically, and vice versa. …there is no distinction … Critical Thinking and Skepticism – Part 3
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
Swinburne’s Argument from Religious Experience – Part 1
In The Existence of God (2nd edition, hereafter: EOG) , Richard Swinburne presents a careful and systematic case for the existence of God. Eight of the arguments (that he considers to be significant) are presented as bits of empirical data each of which increases the probability of the hypothesis that God exists a bit (with the … Swinburne’s Argument from Religious Experience – Part 1
Do the Bee Police Enforce God’s Law? Or Are They Darwinian Nihilists? by Larry Arnhart
I want to a link to another terrific blog post by philosopher Larry Arnhart. One worry–perhaps the worry–about basing morality on the biology of human nature is that it makes morality species-specific. Darwin himself voiced this concern in The Descent of Man: “In the same manner as various animals have some sense of beauty, though they admire widely different … Do the Bee Police Enforce God’s Law? Or Are They Darwinian Nihilists? by Larry Arnhart