Are Atheism and Moral Realism Logically Incompatible?
I am a regular reader of Victor Reppert’s blog, Dangerous Idea. In the combox for one of his recent posts, Steve Hays claimed that atheism and moral realism are logically incompatible. I wrote a lengthy reply to Hays in the combox and have decided to republish it here. Before I republish my comments, I will make one … Are Atheism and Moral Realism Logically Incompatible?
Naturalism, Theism, and Moral Ontology: A Reply to William Lane Craig
(Reposting since this seems to be so popular. So far as I am aware, neither WLC nor anyone else has responded to this.)Abstract: This paper considers William Lane Craig’s metaethical argument for God’s existence. Roughly, the argument is that the existence of objective moral values provides strong evidence for God’s existence. I consider one by one … Naturalism, Theism, and Moral Ontology: A Reply to William Lane Craig
Christian Pastor Writes in HuffPo, “There Is No Such Thing as a Good Atheist”
Pastor Rick Henderson wrote en editorial in yesterday’s Huffington Post provocatively titled, “Why There Is No Such Thing as a Good Atheist.” While he does correctly state, “it is true that there is no definitive atheistic worldview,” there is very little else in this article which he gets right. Here’s Pastor Henderson: While it is true that … Christian Pastor Writes in HuffPo, “There Is No Such Thing as a Good Atheist”
A Very Rough Sketch of an Objection to Quentin Smith’s Argument for Moral Realism
In his book, Ethical and Religious Thought in Analytic Philosophy of Language, Quentin Smith defends an argument for moral realism which he calls the argument from veridical seeming. In this post, I’m going to sketch a brief objection to (4) based on what I will call “naturalistic evolution.” According to this objection, naturalistic evolution furnishes naturalistic … A Very Rough Sketch of an Objection to Quentin Smith’s Argument for Moral Realism
Naturalism, Theism, and Moral Ontology: A Reply to William Lane Craig
Abstract: This paper considers William Lane Craig’s metaethical argument for God’s existence. Roughly, the argument is that the existence of objective moral values provides strong evidence for God’s existence. I consider one by one Craig’s various reasons in support of the argument’s major premise, namely, that objective moral values and the nonexistence of God are at … Naturalism, Theism, and Moral Ontology: A Reply to William Lane Craig
Quentin Smith on Bertrand Russell on “Unyielding Despair” and the Meaning of Life
In his essay, “A Free Man’s Worship,” Bertrand Russell writes: Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world, if anywhere, our ideals henceforward must find a home. That man is the product of causes which had no prevision of … Quentin Smith on Bertrand Russell on “Unyielding Despair” and the Meaning of Life
Quentin Smith’s Argument for Moral Realism
I am summarizing Smith’s argument here, without comment pro or con, for interested readers. Feel free to debate in the combox. In his history of 20th century moral philosophy, Ethical and Religious Thought, Quentin Smith draws the following distinction between first-level and second-level ethical beliefs: A first-level ethical belief is that something is good or evil … Quentin Smith’s Argument for Moral Realism
Morality Cannot Have a Foundation in God: A Summary for the General Reader by Quentin Smith
The following essay was written by Quentin Smith around 2001 or 2002, but inexplicably fell through the cracks. While organizing files on my computer, I recently rediscovered it and am happy to be able to share it with our readers. I am posting it here, without taking a position pro or con, for interested readers. Feel … Morality Cannot Have a Foundation in God: A Summary for the General Reader by Quentin Smith
What Happened to Quentin Smith?
Quentin Smith used to be a prolific philosopher, but, if PhilPapers.org is accurate, it has been many years since he’s published anything new. He used to have his own website, which is now gone. His faculty page at WMU, which used to contain his vita and links to papers, is now stripped down to very … What Happened to Quentin Smith?