INTERMEDIATE 2 Resources / RMPS booklets
By the end of the course you should have 4 booklets about the existence of God unit. They are:
1. Religious Belief:The Universe was created by God This booklet contains information about the different ways people describe God. It includes important words about God that will help you describe ‘God as creator’ It includes information about Genesis chapter 1 which is an ancient text that teaches people about God as creator
2. Philosophical argument: The First Cause This booklet presents a philosophical argument that tries to provide evidence for the existence of God. It is based around Thomas Aquinas’ argument that there must be a ‘first cause’ It also includes Criticisms of this attempt to provide evidence for God’s existence It also includes responses to these criticisms
3. Philosophical argument: The Design (teleological) argument This booklet presents a philosophical argument that tries to provide evidence for the existence of God. It is based around William Pally’s argument that there must be a designer of the universe It also includes Criticisms of this attempt to provide evidence for God’s existence It also includes responses to these criticisms
4. Philosophical argument: The Problem of Pain This booklet presents a philosophical argument that tries to provide evidence that God doesn’t exist. It is based around the view that if God is benevolent, omniscient and omnipotent, then why is there suffering in the world? It also includes philosophical arguments that try to explain why God ‘allows’ suffering (e.g. the Freewill Defence) It also includes criticisms of the freewill defence
2 It also includes responses to these criticisms Religious Belief: The Universe was created by God.
Perfect Being Omnipotent = Eternal Creator Spiritual GOD Spiritual
Omnipresent = Omniscient =
In order to be the CREATOR of the universe God must be …… (use the words above to complete a detailed paragraph that begins with this sentence).
What does it mean to say that God is omnipotent?
What does it mean to say that God is eternal?
GOD TALK … NB … You will not be asked about these words in an Picture language exam. However, you may refer to them when Analogy explaining about God as creator of the universe. For example, how is God’s power and wisdom expressed Simile in pictures and language?
GENESIS CHAPTER 1 What is the genre of the story? What is your view? Can you give reasons for your view? o literal i.e. historically true o myth i.e. a story with hidden true meanings o poem i.e. based on truth but expressed poetically? God as creator is described in the book of Genesis. Can you explain / describe what Genesis chapter one teaches about God creating the universe? o In the beginning God … Match these phrases from Genesis o The Spirit of God was hovering ch. 1 with the following words and over the waters then explain why they are connected o God said … “Let there be …” Benevolent? Omnipotent? Eternal? o And God saw that it was good Spiritual?
3 God gives life meaning and purpose ...
If God exists then there is a reason why we exist. God deliberately created the universe and deliberately created humans. It is good to know that are existence wasn’t just an accident. If God exists and deliberately created humans then all human life is valuable. Life has meaning. If God doesn’t exist then our existence is just the result of blind chance. If this is true then there is no reason why we exist. If God doesn’t exist then maybe life can still have meaning and purpose? Humans though will have to create their own meaning and purpose for their lives. ______
Philosophical Argument: The First Cause Argument
This argument begins with the simple statement that nobody can seriously doubt. It begins with the simple FACT that there is a universe.
The cosmological argument tries to show that there is a God from this simple fact that the universe exists.
St. Thomas Aquinas: The argument from the ‘Uncaused Cause’
Everything has a cause. Every cause has a cause. This cannot go back forever. Therefore there must be an uncaused cause that isn’t caused. The uncaused cause is what people understand by ‘God’
Can you explain this argument in a clear, well structure paragraph? You will not gain marks in an exam if you just memorise and list the argument in bulleted points You will gain marks in an exam if you can explain each bulleted point in your own words Support for / Strengths of the First Cause argument
1. Everything that has ever been examined in the universe has a cause. 2. No-one has ever found anything that is its own cause. 3. It makes sense to say that the universe must have had a beginning because it doesn’t make sense to say that there is an infinite chain of causes. 4. The First cause argument appears to be based on reason and logic.
4 5. It is more likely that God is the first cause than it is to say that the universe itself is the first cause ______Philosophical Objections: Bertrand Russell
Can you explain the following objections to the Cosmological argument? Can you explain the responses to the objections? Can you justify (give reasons) for your own view?
Objection one – What caused God? Objection two – How can we know that the universe needs a cause? Maybe the universe is its own cause?
Philosophical Responses:
If God is eternal then it doesn’t make sense to ask the question, ‘what caused God?’ If everything in the universe needs a cause then surely it is more reasonable to say that the universe itself needs a cause than to say that the universe doesn’t need a cause?
______
Scientific Objection: the theory of the Big Bang
The order of events goes something like this:
1. The universe explodes into existence. 2. Immediately after the Big Bang the universe was thought to be smaller than the nucleus of an atom. 3. A millisecond later the universe had expanded to the size of the sun. 4. A few minutes after the Big Bang the first hydrogen and helium atoms were formed. 5. Gradually these atoms then formed into gases which eventually would become the stars and all matter that we can see. 6. Everything that now exists in the universe could be thought of as debris from the bang.
Can you explain the theory of the Big Bang using the phrases above? Remember, don’t just bullet point information, write a detailed paragraph.
Can you explain why some people think that this theory is an objection to the cosmological argument?
5 Support for / Strengths of the theory of the Big Bang
Scientists have observed that the universe is getting bigger.
The theory of gravity means that the universe should not be expanding unless something incredibly powerful caused them to move apart.
Evidence of background radiation shows that there must have been a huge explosion early in the history of the universe.
Philosophical Responses to the theory of the Big Bang:
This theory doesn’t really provide an answer to the cosmological argument. E.g. you can easily ask, “What caused the Big Bang?”
The Big Bang theory backs up the cosmological argument because it agrees with the idea that the universe had a beginning
The Big Bang is only a theory. Maybe one day it will be proved wrong?
Some scientists say that you can believe in the Big Bang and God at the same time (maybe God caused the Big Bang?)
Some people say that you can believe in the Genesis story and the theory of the Big Bang at the same time (Genesis is a poem, an allegory or a myth. It is not literally true so maybe its only teaching the true idea that God created the universe. The Big Bang theory doesn’t necessarily contradict this true idea.
______
Do YOU think the Big Bang theory means that God doesn’t exist?
Do YOU think the Big Bang theory means that the cosmological argument has failed to prove that God exists?
Can you justify (give reasons) for your own view?
Do YOU think that the cosmological argument has proved that God exists?
Do YOU think that the cosmological argument provides good reasons for you to believe that God exists? ______
6 Philosophical Argument: The Design Argument
The Teleological Argument (Philosophical argument for the existence of God)
Religious Belief: God is a purposeful creator; all of life is created by God with a definite purpose and goal.
The basic strategy of this argument is based on another observation about the universe.
There are things within the universe (particularly living things) that are very, very complicated.
The Big Bang theory suggests that everything that now exists is debris from the explosion. It is argued that the only reasonable explanation for the fact that the universe isn’t just a pile of rubble is that God must have designed the world that we live in. After all, complicated things don’t just appear by themselves. They must have been designed. The only possible designer is God.
Examples of the complexity of the universe …
Humming bird’s A common fly’s wings beat _____ wings beat _____ times per second. times per second.
William Paley: The Design argument
An argument from ANALOGY 1. What is an analogy? 2. What is an argument from analogy? 3. Can you explain Paley’s argument from analogy? 4. Can you use a quote from Paley to help you explain the argument?
7 Paley compares a watch with an eye …
ANALOGY
WATCH HUMAN EYE √ complex √ very complex √ has an obvious purpose √ has an obvious purpose
Conclusion Conclusion
“we know that a watch “we can assume that the has been designed” human eye has been designed”
Philosophical Objection: The Bad design argument
“If the universe was designed then God didn’t make a very good job of it”
Examples of bad design in the universe …
The female quall An examples of a doesn’t look natural disaster is designed because ______. ______.
David Hume famously said … NB Can you This world for aught we know, is very faulty and imperfect compared to a superior standard and explain the bad was only the first rude essay of some infant deity design argument in who afterwards abandoned it, ashamed of his your own words? lame performance.
8 Philosophical response to the bad design argument …
1. The human body doesn’t look like it was badly designed
“When you stop and honestly consider the human brain it’s difficult to agree with Hume that the ‘designer’ could possibly be ashamed of his lame performance.”
There might be some examples of things that don’t look like a good God would design them, however, there are many more examples of incredibly complex things that seem to make the bad design argument a bit weak. For example:
Write about the human body Heart, lungs, eye etc. The brain is so complicated we can’t even begin to understand how it works. Are these things badly designed? Do they point to a designer?
The human body does appear to have been designed with a specific purpose in mind.
2. The anthropic principle
F.R. Tenant argues that the universe looks like it was finely tuned.
The universe doesn’t look like an example of bad design.
All the planets are in just the right place.
The Big Bang happened with just the right force to create a universe that works.
The chances of life happening without a designer are too great.
______
9 Scientific Objection: The Theory of Evolution
Evolution claims that we can get complicated things without the need for a designer. Charles Darwin: The Origen of Species Richard Dawkins: The Blind Watchmaker Natural Selection … Natural processes … Survival of the fittest … Designoids …
Can you explain clearly why the theory of evolution is often used to challenge the design argument?
Philosophical Response to the theory of evolution …
1. The great Christian writer Augustine seemed to think that God created the universe gradually. Maybe he would have liked the theory of evolution? Maybe Genesis is a poem or an allegory and that each day stands for millions of years?
2. Did God design the process of evolution? F.R Tennant believed that human consciousness couldn’t be explained by evolution alone. Can evolution explain why humans love music, art and natural beauty?
3. Evolution is only a theory. Maybe one day it will be proved wrong?
______
Some other ideas …
Maybe the design argument proves that the universe needs a designer? But, does the designer need to be God?
Maybe given enough time the odds can be overcome? After all someone has to win the lottery!
______
10 Do YOU think the theory of evolution means that God doesn’t exist?
Do YOU think evolution means that the design argument has failed to prove that God exists?
Can you justify (give reasons) for your own view?
Do YOU think that the design argument has proved that God exists?
Do YOU think that the design argument provides good reasons for you to believe that God exists?
Examples of Exam Questions (INT 2) YEAR
1. Describe Paley’s watch analogy and explain how it 6KU Specimen might be used to prove the existence of God.
2. “The theory of evolution challenges Paley’s 4AE Specimen argument” Do you agree? Give two reasons for your answer.
3. “None of the philosophers arguments prove God 8AE Specimen exists. Therefore, there is no point in believing in him.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
Our world is both beautiful and complex. The more scientific knowledge we gather showing the complexity of life on earth the more I am convinced that life has been designed and that this proves God exists.
4. William Paley believed that the universe was designed. How did he support this idea? 4KU 2007
5. Describe one other piece of evidence that might be 2KU 2007 used to support the Design Argument for God’s existence.
6. Explain Darwin’s theory of evolution. 4KU 2007
7. Is the theory of evolution an effective challenge to 4AE 2007 the Design Argument? Give two reasons for your answer.
8. Describe one traditional philosophical objection to 2KU 2007 the Design Argument. 11 9. Describe two weaknesses of one traditional 4KU 2007 philosophical objection to the Design Argument.
10. “If life is just the result of an accident, then it has no real meaning or purpose.”
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. 10AE 2007
11. What do the terms “omnipotent” and “omniscient” 2KU 2008 mean?
12. Describe ways in which the process of evolution is 6KU 2008 said to challenge the existence of God.
13. To what extent does the First Cause Argument prove 8AE 2008 the existence of God?
John: “I believe the world and everything in it was created by God.”
Sandra: “Scientific evidence shows us that the universe came about as a result of the Big Bang.”
14. Describe the First Cause argument. 4KU 2009
15. Describe two traditional philosophical objections to 4KU 2009 the First Cause argument.
16. Explain the Big Bang theory. 4KU 2009
17. “The Big Bang theory is an effective challenge to the 4AE 2009 First Cause argument.”
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
18. Explain the Design argument for the existence of 4KU 2009 God.
19. “The Design argument has more strengths than 4AE 2009 weaknesses.”
Do you agree with this statement? Give two reasons for your answer.
20. “The theory of Evolution makes the need for belief in 6AE 2009 God unnecessary.”
Do you agree? Explain your answer.
12 21. Describe the theory of evolution. 4KU 2010
22. “If God designed the universe, then something must 4AE 2010 have designed God.”
How might religious people respond to this statement? Give two reasons for your answer.
23. “The theory of Evolution is a serious challenge to 8AE 2010 the Design Argument.”
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
More Exam Type Revision Questions (INT 2) a. Describe William Paley’s watch analogy 4KU b. What evidence is there that Paley may use to back 4KU up his argument? c. David Hume said that arguments based on analogies 4AE do not provide strong evidence for their conclusions.
Do you agree with Hume? Give reasons for your answer. d. Thousands of people die in natural disasters every year.
How might people use this fact to reject the design argument? e. Do you agree with the view that the theory of 8AE evolution has proved that God does not exist?
Give reasons for your view. f. God is traditionally described as ‘Creator’. What 2KU does this mean to people of believe in God? g. What evidence is there that could be used to back up 4KU Aquinas’ First Cause argument. h. Describe a philosophical objection to the first cause 2KU argument. i. Is it accurate to say that ‘nothing can come from nothing’?
13 j Why do some people say that the Big Bang theory 4KU challenges the First Cause argument? 4AE
Do you agree with people who say this?
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