Philosophy Flashcards
(25 cards)
What did St Thomas Aquinas believe?
That there was a chain of cause and effect, that had caused the universe to exist. The first cause, which was uncaused, was God
Who wrote the cosmological argument?
St Thomas Aquinas
What criticisms are there of The Cosmological argument?
How do we know god is the sole causer of the universe
Not conclusive
Who made God?
Why do we need to question the science of the universe
Infinite regress
God is eternal and has always existed
Who wrote the Teleological Argument?
William Paley
What does WP use as an analogy to the universe?
A watch
What are the main points in the teleological argument?
A watch is so perfect you can see it has a design and purpose and you would know it had a designer
The universe is perfect, you would know it has a designer, and it has a design and purpose
The designer is God
What was John Stuart mill’s criticism or the TA
The fact there is evil and suffering in the world, implies a flawed design by a flawed designer or no design at all
What was David Hume’s criticism of the TA
The universe could be a product of chance
What was Charles Darwin’s criticism of the TA
Even if ine accepts the world looks designed, there’s no need to include God
What was Richard Dawkins’ criticism of the TA
Supported Darwin, arguing that random mutations in DNA alone have rise to variation and illusion of design
What did Ludwig Feuerbach argue?
That there is no god
What 2 sentences did Feuerbach use to explain his reasoning
What man is in need of he makes his God.
What man wishes he makes his God.
Explain Feuerbach’s 1st sentence.
Human beings want to be happy but we fear many things including being alone and having no ultimate purpose. So, we create a God to give our lives purpose and meaning.
Explain Feuerbach’s second sentence.
The human imagination created a god which is omnipotent; powerful, omniscient; all knowing, and omnibenevolent; all loving. We give our God the perfect personality.
Who agreed with Feuerbach and what did they say?
Sigmund Freud said that God is an illusion that humans create when they are psychologically unstable. Religion is a figment of our imagination
What is one of the criticisms of Feuerbach’s argument?
Just because we imagine something to be perfect doesn’t mean that it can’t be real.
Just because God is good, powerful, and intelligent, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t exist.
Give an example of moral evil.
Murder, wars, torture
Evil caused by human nature
What is natural evil, give examples
Evil caused when nature goes wrong
Floods, droughts, tsunamis, famine
What is known as the rock of atheism
Evil and suffering
What is the argument known as the rock of atheism?
If god was omnibenevolent he would want to remove evil. If god was omnipotent he would be able to remove evil. If god was omniscient he would know how to remove evil. Both God and evil cannot exist. Therefore God doesn’t exist: evil exists
What is the inconsistent triad
How can a loving and powerful god allow evil to exist
What is a theodicy
A theodicy tries to explain and justify this apparent contradiction
What was St Augustines theodicy?
St Augustine argued that evil exists because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought evil and suffering in the garden of Eden. He believed evil is the absence of goodness. This is a souls deciding theodicy
What is St Irenaeus’ theodicy?
God made the world imperfect so that humankind could develop and through the right choices prepare for heaven in the afterlife
This is a souls making theodicy
