The second question that compels us to believe that God exists is that who caused the formation of this universe. Scientists believe and have also convinced some people that the universe started with a great explosion which they call the Big Bang and that is how the universe came into being (Weinberg, 1998)
Aquinas gave five arguments as a proof for existence of God. These five arguments can be explained as: "(1) Argument of Motion, (2) Argument of Efficient Causes, (3) Argument of Possibility and Necessity, (4) Argument of Gradation of Being, (5) Argument of Design" (Gracyk)
However, due to emerging logical, ethical and philosophical theories more and updated research is coming forward. In relation to the basics of existence of God Aquinas very simply combines the existence of God with the cognitive ability of human being to understand, realize and make judgments about the presence of usual things happening around (Suto)
To the Christian individual, the most useful of these could include the cosmological argument, which concerns the physical universe and the evidence it provides towards proof of God's existence, and the moral argument, which finds proof for God's existence within human morality. The cosmological argument (Hick 20-22) holds that the ordered and perfect nature of the universe can only be explained by intelligent design
Indeed, the knowledge of God's existence essentially arises from the consciousness that human knowledge is not yet complete, which is proof of human imperfection. Yet, there is also the simultaneous acknowledgement that the potential for perfection exists, which is the reason why human beings are constantly aspiring indefinitely for greater and better things (Descartes, p
The cosmological argument is really a family of arguments. There are three main types, comprising the first three of Aquinas's "Five Ways" of proving the existence of God (Aquinas, Part 1, Q, II, and A
Since existence is not a property, it cannot be included in the definition of God. (Edwards, 20) The ontological argument is the only one that is a priori; that is, it argues from premises that are all independent of experience
For the layperson, this argument is perhaps the most popular. (Hick, 1971) However, the argument's simplicity is deceptive
The problem of evil is generally regarded as the most important argument against theism. (Mavrodes, 1995) The argument from morality, like the cosmological argument, is really a family of arguments (Hick, 26-27)
We should note that of the three arguments presented by Copleston, the cosmological is decidedly deductive in nature and the argument from experience is inductive. (Reese, 1980) the argument from religious experience is more difficult to classify
This and this alone is self-caused. According to the Thomas Aquinas, though the world is in constant change, there must be a First Cause that remains unchanged (Rowe, 20)
To the layperson, the argument seems sophistical and unconvincing. (Smart, 500) To the philosophically aware, it seems to have been decisively defeated by Kant
However, Darwin's theories of evolution and modern studies in ecology have done much to explain phenomena that previously were in the realm of mystery. Further, some assert that the argument from design really depends on the conclusions of the cosmological argument (Williamson, 196)
Philosophers like Kierkegaard believed that reason could not be relied upon to prove that God did exist. In this case, reason (as opposed to faith) is inadequate when it comes to issues relating to the existence of God and his promise of eternal life (Wolf 2011)
," because God's characteristics are such that a human being is reduced to the status of being an object which in turn destroys his distinguishing characteristic of freedom. Sartre continued by saying that God's attribute of omniscience would not allow free moral choice to humans because a free choice should not be subject to scrutiny whereas with God's existence human beings are always under scrutiny of a Supreme Being (Stevenson, 1987)
The existence of God is a subject of debate in the philosophy of religion, popular culture, and philosophy. A wide variety of arguments for and against the ...
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