2013 European Philosophers Network

Europe historically was once the home of the Christian church but now is actively secular. Atheistic and agnostic belief systems permeate a spiritual environment that is antagonistic to the Gospel. The numbers of atheists and agnostics has grown from 1 to 2 million in 1900 to over 130 million in 2000. Most academics educated in Europe’s secularized universities have been shaped in profound ways by a thoroughly naturalistic worldview. It is these academics who are, in turn, shaping future generations of European university students. Especially in the academic discipline of , Christian students and scholars are isolated: they often lack believing colleagues or resources to help.

To address this need, the European Philosophers Network was introduced at the 2012 Forum. This Network has been designed to support and encourage Christian philosophers as they seek to incorporate their faith into their research projects, teaching, and mentoring. Because of this, the primary focus of the Network is the examination of philosophy from a specifically Christian perspective and to explore their integration. The Network's goal is to teach and encourage young Christian philosophers at three critical levels:

1. The European Christian Philosophers Network will seek successful, professional academic work. The European Philosophers Network is a part of the broader philosophical community and is committed, first, to actually doing philosophy. The best way to figure out how to be a Christian philosopher isn’t to talk about what being a Christian philosopher would look like in the abstract. The best way to start is to do philosophical work. Those involved with the EPN will be involved in presenting and critiquing academic work on a broad range of philosophical topics.

2. The European Christian Philosophers Network will seek to provide an opportunity to raise and think through various apologetic issues. The academy in Europe is a setting where Christian ideas, values and lifestyle come under intense intellectual pressure. The EPN dedicates time to identifying, thinking clearly through, and evaluating objections and other apologetic issues. This is beneficial to Christian philosophers, of course, but is also a service both to academics in other disciplines as well as to those outside the University community.

3. The European Christian Philosophers Network will seek to help young scholars establish a spiritual context for academic study. Many scholars experience the academic world as a spiritual desert – dry and unable to sustain spiritual life. The EPN will seek to describe both the dangers and the opportunities presented by such an environment, and to map out and help construct the spiritual foundations that are necessary both to survive and thrive in a rigorous academic environment.

Speakers featured in the 2013 Philosophers Network are Bruce Little, Ard Louis, Stephen Meyer, Rik Peels, Luke Potter, Christine van Burken, and Peter S. Williams.

Applicants should be those who are pursuing or hold a graduate degree in philosophy or are active scholars in the field. Network Leader

Bruce A. Little has Masters degrees in Apologetics and and a PhD in Philosophy of Religion. Presently, he is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he has been on faculty since 2001. For over a decade, he has travelled widely in Europe and Asia, lecturing in universities, teaching in a variety of schools and presenting papers at conferences. He has published in various professional journals and has written or edited several books: A Creation-Order Theodicy: God and Gratuitous ; God, Why This Evil?; Francis Schaeffer: A Mind and Heart for God (ed); Engaging Culture, Defending the Faith (ed).

Network Speakers

Ard Louis is a Reader in Theoretical Physics at the , where he is director of graduate studies in Theoretical Physics and leads an interdisciplinary research group studying problems on the border between between theoretical physics and chemistry, applied mathematics and biology. From 2002 to 2010, he was a Royal Society University Research Fellow. Prior to Oxford he taught Theoretical Chemistry at Cambridge University where he was also director of studies in Natural Sciences at Hughes Hall. He was born in the Netherlands, raised in Gabon, Central Africa, did his undergraduate studies at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands and received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Cornell University, U.S.A.Dr. Louis is the International Secretary for Christiansin Science, an associate of the Faraday Institute for Science andReligion based at St. Edmunds College, , served on the European Advisory board of the John Templeton Foundation, and the advisory board of the Biologos Foundation. He has a particular interest in helping Christian postgraduate students think through how their faith relates to their disciplines. He regularly speaks on the Oxford Developing a Christian Mind course and for the Veritas Forum.

Stephen Meyer is Director of the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute and a founder of the modern intelligent design movement. A Cambridge University-trained philosopher of science, he is author of peer- reviewed publications in technical, scientific, philosophical, and other books and journals. His books include Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design (2009) and the forthcoming Darwin's Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design (2013). He has been interviewed by many leading media outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and the BBC. Previously on the faculty of Whitworth University, he formerly worked as a geophysicist with the Atlantic Richfield Company.

Rik Peels (PhD) studied philosophy and theology at the Theological University Apeldoorn (the Netherlands), the VU University Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Notre Dame University (IN, USA), and Merton College at Oxford University (United Kingdom). He wrote his PhD dissertation on the ethics of belief. He has published on the limits of science, responsible belief, the cognitive consequences of sin and grace, and ignorance. Previously, he worked for IFES in the Netherlands as the National Coordinator of The Veritas Forum. He is now a post-doctoral researcher at the VU University Amsterdam and European Director of The Veritas Forum. He lives in Amsterdam and is married to Marleen Buijs. For more, see www.rikpeels.nl.

Luke Potter teaches in the philosophy department at the , works at Notre Dame's Center for the Philosophy of Religion, and pastors a church in South Bend, IN, where he lives with his wife, Jennie. His research interests range broadly across metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophical theology, missiology and biblical studies. He loves kids, movies, comic books, fantasy and science fiction literature, and also trains (rather poorly) in mixed martial arts.

Christine van Burken is a PhD candidate working in the field of military technology and ethics. She holds a BSc in Human Kinetic Engineering, a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and a MA Christian Studies of Science and Society. She worked several years as a mechanical engineer before starting her PhD studies in June 2009. Currently, she works on her dissertation in a project "Moral Fitness of military personnel in a network enabled operations environment". She looks at ICT and other networking technologies in the military domain from the perspective of Philosophy of Technology. She also uses insights from Reformational philosophy to evaluate normative issues in networked (military) environments. Her main affiliation is Eindhoven University of Technology, but due to the interdisciplinarity of her project she is also affiliated with the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands Defence Academy and TNO Human Factors.

Peter S. Williams studied philosophy at Cardiff University (BA), Sheffield University (MA) and at the University of East Anglia in Norwich (MPhil). He then spent three years as a student pastor at Holy Trinity church Leicester before moving to Southampton to work alongside the Christian educational charity Damaris Trust (www.damaris.org), where as ‘Philosopher in Residence’ he leads Philosophy and Ethics conferences for sixth form students as well as undertaking various writing, speaking and broadcasting engagements. Peter is also Assistant Professor in Communication and Worldviews at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication in Norway. His publications include A Sceptic’s Guide to Atheism: God Is Not Dead (Paternoster, 2009), Understanding : Five Ways to Spiritual Enlightenment (Paternoster, 2011) and C.S. Lewis vs the New Atheists (Paternoster, 2013). Network Programme

Day 1

Textual Authority: A Reasons-Based Approach Luke Potter

To say that a text is authoritative is to say…well, what exactly? In this paper I argue that the best way to make sense of the idea of the authority of a text is as a source of reasons. We'll then consider how this understanding of textual authority helps us to flesh out the doctrine of Biblical authority.

The Logical Status of Science-Based Design Arguments Stephen Meyer

In this session, Dr. Meyer will examine how the modern design argument overcomes objections to earlier versions of the argument and explain why it is most helpfully formulated as an inference to the best explanation. More generally, Dr. Meyer will examine the ways in which science might legitimately provide epistemic support for Christian or theistic belief.

Day 2

Where Do Complex Biological Systems Come From? A Comparison of Two Different Christian Approaches to Creation Stephen Meyer and Ard Louis

Participating Networks:

European Apologetics Network: Advanced Track, European Philosophers Network, European Scientists Network, and European Theologians Network

Chair:

Peter Imming

Schedule:

10:15: Welcome and Introduction

10:20: Stephen Meyer (25 min)

10:45: Ard Louis (25 min) 11:10: Moderated Panel Discussion of the two speakers (30 min)

11:40: Coffee break (20 min)

12:00: Moderated Plenary discussion (60 minutes)

(first gathering a set of different questions for each speaker, then having a time to respond, then more questions…)

13:00: Summary Ard Louis (5 minutes)

13:05: Summary Stephen Meyer (5 minutes)

13:10: Closing remarks by chairman and prayer

13:15: End

Day 3

Pilgrims and Progress Bruce Little

This session reviews the power and consequences of the Enlightenment on western thought and particularly on . While many have analyzed the impact of the Enlightenment’s epistemological and ontological legacy, this session will examine the Enlightenment concept of "progress" and how it more broadly has influenced western culture and the western church. The Enlightenment's approach to progress advocated efficiency and convenience which are measured quantitatively, obscuring important aspects of reality. This idea of progress will be analyzed and evaluated.

Non-Argumentative Motivations for Atheism Rik Peels

For most people, many of the most fundamental beliefs they hold, such as their moral beliefs, their beliefs about the meaning of life, and their religious beliefs, are not based on arguments, but are basic beliefs. It would be surprising then, if things were completely different when it comes to atheism. Of course, atheists often stress that their position is based on arguments. I will analyze the various non-argumentative motivations for atheism. I show how these motives can be recognized and make a proposal as to how we can take them into account when we do philosophy of religion.

Day 4

Non-Neutrality of Information Communications Technology (ICT) on the Battlefield Christine van Burken

This presentation reviews four different types of non-neutrality of technology that have been recognized by different philosophers of technology. These types are applied to visual data and imaging technologies on the battlefield. Firstly, these technologies can invite certain behavior. Secondly, technology often mediates through amplification and reduction. Thirdly, technologies have built-in norms, and, fourthly, technologies require interpretation. It is also argued that it is even more helpful to get an understanding of the non-neutrality of technology by recognizing that technology can never be seen apart from its social context. Therefore, an enriched understanding of the non-neutrality of technology is proposed by using the concept of normative practice.

Is Christianity "Unscientific"? Peter S. Williams

'Neo-Atheist Sam Harris criticizes Christianity for being "unscientific"; but what does it mean to say that something is "unscientific" and why think that calling Christianity "unscientific" is a valid criticism? The answers depend upon what we mean by "Christianity" and what we mean by the notion of being "Scientific." After developing some relevant definitions, I will proffer a schema for understanding the range of issues raised by the claim that Christianity is "unscientific".