<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof:yes;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; … [Read more...]
Gregory Dawes: Religion, Science, and Explanation
November 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Abstract: A recent legal ruling in the United States regarding ‘intelligent design’ (ID) argued that ID is not science because it invokes a supernatural agent. It therefore cannot be taught in public schools. But the important philosophical question is not whether ID invokes a supernatural agent; it is whether it meets the standards we expect of any explanation in the sciences. More generally, could any proposed theistic explanation – one that invokes the deity of classical theism – meet … [Read more...]
Atheists As “Other”: Moral Boundaries and Cultural Membership in American Society
November 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Penny Edgell, Joseph Gerteis, and Douglas Hartmann. "Atheists As 'Other': Moral Boundaries and Cultural Membership in American Society." American Sociological Review April 2006 71: 211-234, doi:10.1177/000312240607100203.Abstract: Despite the declining salience of divisions among religious groups, the boundary between believers and nonbelievers in America remains strong. This article examines the limits of Americans' acceptance of atheists. Using new national survey data, … [Read more...]
Stephen Parrish: God and Objectivism: A Critique of Objectivist Philosophy of Religion
November 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
"I will examine what Objectivists, both old and new, have written about God and subject it to critical analysis. My conclusion will be that Objectivists have not only failed to keep up with the work of contemporary philosophers of religion, but that their work is marred by logical fallacies, especially begging the question. Philosophical naturalism is assumed rather than proved. Objectivists have failed to support the atheism Rand so vigorously espoused. Since Objectivists claim theirs is a … [Read more...]
ex-apologist: J.L. Schellenberg’s New Website
November 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
LINKHT: ex-apologist … [Read more...]
ex-apologist: Lovering on Immoral Theistic Belief
November 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Lovering, Rob. "On the Morality of Having Faith that God Exists", Sophia 51:1 (2012), 17-30.Abstract: Many theists who identify themselves with the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) maintain that it is perfectly acceptable to have faith that God exists. In this paper, I argue that, when believing that God exists will affect others, it is prima facie wrong to forgo attempting to believe that God exists on the basis of sufficient evidence. Lest there be any … [Read more...]
Doug Geivett: Paranoid Atheists, Take Note
November 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
I discovered this old post on Christian philosopher Doug Geivett's blog. He mentions a book by John Mickelthwaite and Adrian Wooldridge, God Is Back: How the Revival of Religion Is Changing the World. According to Geivett, the book "is a kind of protest against the excesses of paranoid atheism." From the description, the book does indeed sound interesting. … [Read more...]
Guy Kahane: Value and Philosophical Possibility
November 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Abstract: Much seems to be at stake in metaphysical questions about God, free will or morality. One thing that could be at stake is the value of the universe we inhabit—how good or bad it is. We can think of competing philosophical positions as describing possibilities, ways the world might turn out to be, and to which value can be assigned. When, for example, people hope that God exists, or fear that we do not possess free will, they express attitudes towards these possibilities, attitudes … [Read more...]
Matt McCormick’s NPR Interview
November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A great interview from NPR. … [Read more...]
Keith Burgess-Jackson: Alvin Plantinga on the New Atheists
November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
As an atheist philosopher, Keith Burgess-Jackson is not impressed by Richard Dawkins's use of contempt to attempt to win "converts" from theism to atheism.LINK … [Read more...]
Follow Patheos
Atheist: