Divine Attitudes and the Nature of Morality: a Defense of a Theistic Account of Deontic Properties
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On Natural Causes: Implications for a Teleological View of the World
ON NATURAL CAUSES Implications for a teleological view of the world Joseph D. Renick1 March 15, 2020 Methodological naturalism is a guiding principle imposed on scientific methodology that limits science to the consideration of natural causes alone where “natural causes” explicitly means “non- supernatural causes”. Its principle role is to protect the teaching of biological evolution in public schools from challenges to its veracity posed by evidence of design in nature where, under the scrutiny of methodological naturalism, all such evidence is labelled “religion, not science”. However, an objective consideration of the reasoning involved in scientific methodology leads to the conclusion that the meaning of “natural causes” should be based on what a natural cause is, not on what it is not. This observation surprisingly leads to the proposition that both law and design must be viewed as natural causes. Further, it is evident that law and design are unified in nature and if they are unified in nature, they must also be unified in the natural sciences. This leads to the proposition that if law and design are unified in the natural sciences, they must also be unified in science education in public schools. We conclude that methodological naturalism has a legitimate role in its oversight of the methods of science, but that oversight must be limited to the methods themselves, not the metaphysical implications that might arise as a result of those methods. Otherwise, methodological naturalism functions as metaphysical naturalism. Methodological naturalism is a guiding principle imposed on scientific methodology that limits science to the consideration of natural causes alone. -
The Encounter Between Naturalistic Atheism and Christian Theism
Michael Peterson The Encounter Between Naturalistic Atheism and Christian Theism Michael Peterson (b. 1950) sets the debate between atheism and theism in the larger context of a worldview conflict between naturalism, which entails atheism, and Christian belief, which entails theism. He tries to show that Christian theism has intellectual resources that can handle both arguments against theism and arguments for atheism. Then he compares the capacity of atheistic naturalism and Christian theism to generate credible explanations of many important features of reality, such as consciousness, mind, morality, and personhood. He concludes that such impressive phenomena are not likely to occur in a naturalistic universe and that naturalists provide explanations of them that are reductionistic and strained. However, in a universe described by Trinitarian Christian theism, which was cre ated by a supremely intelligent, moral, personal, and relational being, it is much more likely that finite consciousness, mind, morality, and personhood would arise. n academia and broader society, the intellectual of reality. An explanation of everything is a I conflict between theism and atheism continues. worldview-a comprehensive conceptual frame Theism is the belief that an omnipotent, omniscient, work that makes sense of important features of life and perfectly good personal spiritual being exists and the world. Both theists and atheists advance who is creator and sustainer of the universe; this key arguments and cite significant evidence for being is designated God. Positive atheism is the their positions. Thorough worldview assessment belief that God does not exist, i.e., the denial of must evaluate all of the arguments, pro and con, theism. -
Sentimentalism and Moral Dilemmas
Sentimentalism and Moral Dilemmas András Szigeti Linköping University Post Print N.B.: When citing this work, cite the original article. Original Publication: András Szigeti, Sentimentalism and Moral Dilemmas, 2015, Dialectica, (69), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1746-8361.12087 Copyright: Wiley: 12 months http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ Postprint available at: Linköping University Electronic Press http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-118875 Sentimentalism and Moral Dilemmas András SZIGETI UiT The Arctic University of Norway/Linköping University Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: It is sometimes said that certain hard moral choices constitute tragic moral dilemmas in which no available course of action is justifiable, and so the agent is blameworthy whatever she chooses. This paper criticizes a certain approach to the debate about moral dilemmas and considers the metaethical implications of the criticisms. The approach in question has been taken by many advocates as well as opponents of moral dilemmas who believe that analyzing the emotional response of the agent is the key to the debate about moral dilemmas. The metaethical position this approach is most naturally associated with is sentimentalism. Sentimentalists claim that evaluation, and in particular moral evaluation, crucially depends on human sentiment. This paper is not concerned with the question whether moral dilemmas exist, but rather with emotion-based arguments used on both sides of the debate. The first aim of the paper is to show that emotion-based arguments by friends or foes of moral dilemmas cannot garner support from sentimentalism. The second aim is to show that this constitutes a serious problem for sentimentalism. -
Teorie Vědy / Theory of Science / Xl / 2018 / 2 The
TEORIE VĚDY / THEORY OF SCIENCE / XL / 2018 / 2 ////// studie / article //////////////////////////////////////////// THE PARADOX OF Paradox moralistického omylu: MORALISTIC FALLACY: argument proti nebezpečné A CASE AGAINST THE znalosti DANGEROUS KNOWLEDGE Abstrakt: V článku je rozveden Abstract: In this article, the concept koncept moralistického omylu, of moralistic fallacy introduced by který předložil B. D. Davis. Jsou B. D. Davis is elaborated on in more diskutovány základní charakteris- detail. Th e main features of this fal- tiky tohoto omylu s cílem představit lacy are discussed, and its general jeho obecnou formu. Moralistický form is presented. Th e moralistic omyl má přitom nechtěné následky, fallacy might have some undesirable z nichž některé dokonce mohou být outcomes. Some of them might even v přímém rozporu s původní morální be in direct confl ict to the original pozicí, která stojí v začátku tohoto moral position. If this occurs, it samotného omylu. Pokud takovýto is possible to characterize it as stav nastane, lze ukázat, že mora- a paradox of moralistic fallacy. Th e listický omyl způsobuje paradox. possibility of this paradox provides Možnost takovéhoto paradoxu pak a further reason not to prevent any poskytuje důvod k tomu, aby bylo scientifi c inquiries and not to depict odmítnuto omezování vědeckého any knowledge as dangerous. zkoumání a aby nebyla žádná zna- lost charakterizována jako nebez- Keywords: moralistic fallacy; pečná. reverse naturalistic fallacy; Bernard D. Davis; paradox of moralistic Klíčová slova: moralistický fallacy; dangerous knowledge omyl; reverzní naturalistický omyl; Bernard D. Davis; paradox moralistického omylu; nebezpečná znalost TOMÁŠ ONDRÁČEK Department of Corporate Economy, Masaryk University Lipová 41a, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic email / [email protected] 191 Tomáš Ondráček Introduction Is there knowledge which should be considered as dangerous and unwanted? Knowledge which should be prevented from acquiring? Th ere have been many attempts to prohibit some knowledge in history. -
The Naturalist Challenge to Religion
Michael Ruse The Naturalist Challenge to Religion Michael Ruse (b. 1940) presents a comprehensive case for a naturalist worldview that embraces both methodological naturalism and metaphysical naturalism. Rather than seeing methodolog ical naturalism as worldview neutral, Ruse argues that it actually helps the case for metaphysical naturalism because it rules out forms of explanation that look for causes beyond the natural realm. So, Ruse's case for metaphysical naturalism is heavily influenced by how he sees the role of methodological naturalism. He cites methodological naturalism's ability to explain the origin and structure of organisms without appeal to divine design and even it~ ability to explain religion as a purely human phenomenon without assuming it relates to a divine realm. ((Naturalism'' is one of those words with many naturalism;' claiming that there is nothing beyond this meanings. When I was a teenager growing up natural world. No gods or such things. Today, many in England, it was a euphemism for "nudism:' With methodological naturalists are also metaphysical natu some regret, it is not this sense that is the subject of this ralists. This would be true of so-called "New Atheists" discussion. Another sense is that of "philosophical like Richard Dawkins. 1 But today and in the past there naturalism:' Here one is referring to an intention to let have been methodological naturalists who deny meta one's philosophical discussions be as science-like and physical naturalism. This is true of the great seven science-based as possible. You will see evidence of this teenth-century chemist Robert Boyle who spoke of the philosophy in action in this paper, but again it is not "wisdom of God" in making the world like a clock the main focus of discussion. -
Original Monotheism: a Signal of Transcendence Challenging
Liberty University Original Monotheism: A Signal of Transcendence Challenging Naturalism and New Ageism A Thesis Project Report Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Divinity in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry Department of Christian Leadership and Church Ministries by Daniel R. Cote Lynchburg, Virginia April 5, 2020 Copyright © 2020 by Daniel R. Cote All Rights Reserved ii Liberty University School of Divinity Thesis Project Approval Sheet Dr. T. Michael Christ Adjunct Faculty School of Divinity Dr. Phil Gifford Adjunct Faculty School of Divinity iii THE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY THESIS PROJECT ABSTRACT Daniel R. Cote Liberty University School of Divinity, 2020 Mentor: Dr. T. Michael Christ Where once in America, belief in Christian theism was shared by a large majority of the population, over the last 70 years belief in Christian theism has significantly eroded. From 1948 to 2018, the percent of Americans identifying as Catholic or Christians dropped from 91 percent to 67 percent, with virtually all the drop coming from protestant denominations.1 Naturalism and new ageism increasingly provide alternative means for understanding existential reality without the moral imperatives and the belief in the divine associated with Christian theism. The ironic aspect of the shifting of worldviews underway in western culture is that it continues with little regard for strong evidence for the truth of Christian theism emerging from historical, cultural, and scientific research. One reality long overlooked in this regard is the research of Wilhelm Schmidt and others, which indicates that the earliest religion of humanity is monotheism. Original monotheism is a strong indicator of the existence of a transcendent God who revealed Himself as portrayed in Genesis 1-11, thus affirming the truth of essential elements of Christian theism and the falsity of naturalism and new ageism. -
What Makes an Emotion Moral?
What Makes an Emotion Moral? by Mara L. Bollard A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy) in the University of Michigan 2018 Doctoral Committee: Professor Daniel Jacobson, Chair Professor Sarah Buss Professor Peter A. Railton Associate Professor Chandra Sripada Mara L. Bollard [email protected] ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2416-948X © Mara L. Bollard 2018 Acknowledgements I could not have completed this dissertation without the support of many people, and I regret that I cannot properly express my gratitude to everyone who helped shape this project, and my time in graduate school, in these few short pages. First of all, tremendous thanks are due to my committee members: Daniel Jacobson, Sarah Buss, Peter Railton, and Chandra Sripada, all of whom played no small role in my decision to come to Michigan in the first place, and have continued to intellectually enthrall, challenge, and encourage me ever since. I am especially grateful to my advisor, Dan Jacobson, whose guidance, humor, and unflagging support got me, and this project, across the finish line. Special thanks, too, to Chandra Sripada, who has been a cheerful and constant advocate of my work, my teaching, and the Mind and Moral Psychology Working Group. The research and writing of this dissertation was supported by a Mellon Recruitment Award, a Rackham One-Term Dissertation Fellowship, a Sweetland Dissertation Writing Institute Fellowship, and numerous Rackham Conference Travel Grants. I am grateful for incisive and helpful feedback on these chapters from members of the University of Michigan Mind and Moral Psychology Working Group, the University of Michigan Graduate Student Working Group, the 2016 University of Michigan Candidacy Seminar, and the 2017 Sweetland Dissertation Writing Institute. -
Modernity, Science, and the Making of Religion
Modernity, Science, and the Making of Religion: A Critical Analysis of a Modern Dichotomy by Rodney W. Tussing A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Approved November 2014 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Linell Cady, Chair Joel Gereboff Owen Anderson ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2014 ABSTRACT This project examines and challenges the West’s generally accepted two category approach to the world’s belief systems. That is, it will deconstruct the religion / science ‘paradigm’ that has developed over the past two centuries. It will argue that the dichotomy between the two categories was created by modernity for the purpose of establishing an exclusive view believed to be based on knowledge. This exclusive view, philosophical naturalism (science), was set in opposition to all alternative views identified as religion. As the exclusive view, though constructed on a defective foundation of knowledge, philosophical naturalism, nonetheless, became the privileged interpreter and explainer of reality in the academy of the Western world. As a work in the area of epistemology and the philosophy of religion, this project will challenge philosophical naturalism’s claim to knowledge. The approach will be philosophical and historical critically assessing both modernity’s and postmodernity’s basis for knowledge. Without a rational basis for exclusive knowledge the popular dichotomy dissolves. The implications of this dissolution for ‘religious studies’ will be addressed by offering an alternative -
Retributive Hatred As a Reactive Moral Attitude
Retributive Hatred as a Reactive Moral Attitude Jeramy S. Gee A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2014 Reading Committee: Jean Roberts (Chair) Stephen Gardiner Ingra Schellenberg Cass Weller Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Department of Philosophy ©Copyright 2014 Jeramy S. Gee University of Washington Abstract Retributive Hatred as a Reactive Moral Attitude Jeramy S. Gee Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Jean Roberts Department of Philosophy Philosophers’ attention to negative attitudes has grown in recent decades. However, whereas philosophers have offered a number of descriptions of, and justifications for, attitudes like resentment and contempt, hatred is usually met with antipathy even when we might be inclined to be sympathetic to the hater. In this dissertation I offer a sustained examination of hatred I and make a rather startling claim: There are cases of hatred that are morally justifiable. The kind of hatred I defend is what some philosophers have called retributive hatred. This is hatred adopted in response to wrongdoing and in which hostility is driven by a retributive notion of moral desert. To make my case I argue that retributive hatred is distinguishable from such attitudes as prejudicial hatred, malice, and spite—attitudes with which it is often confused—and that it is not liable to the kinds of criticisms that can be levied against these types of hatred. I then show that retributive hatred should be classified among the reactive attitudes. Thus there are conditions governing when retributive haters can be understood as properly representing their targets as hateful and I argue that these conditions can be met. -
Eric Perl's Theophanism: an Option for Agnostics?
religions Article Eric Perl’s Theophanism: An Option for Agnostics? Travis Dumsday Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Concordia University of Edmonton, Edmonton, AB T5B 4E4, Canada; [email protected] Received: 1 May 2020; Accepted: 15 May 2020; Published: 19 May 2020 Abstract: Recent work in analytic philosophy of religion has seen increased interest in nontheistic, but still non-naturalist (indeed, broadly religious) worldview options. J.L. Schellenberg’s Ultimism has been among the most prominent of these. Another interesting option that has yet to receive much attention is the Theophanism advocated by the Neoplatonism scholar Eric Perl. In this paper, I summarize Perl’s theophanism (which he describes as being neither theistic nor atheistic) and assess it on two fronts: (a) whether it might be an acceptable philosophical option for agnostics, specifically, and (b) to what extent it is independently defensible philosophically. Keywords: agnosticism; atheism; theism; God; Neoplatonism; Perl; Eric; orthodoxy 1. Introduction The subfield that is analytic philosophy of religion remains focused primarily on issues pertaining to two competing perspectives or worldviews: metaphysical naturalism (MN) and Judeo-Christian theism (JCT). Insofar as MN maintains that the only irreducible kinds of reality are essentially physical in character (perhaps spacetime plus fundamental particles or fields), it is seen today as inherently atheistic.1 JCT stands as something of a polar opposite, affirming not only a personal, necessarily existent and spiritual OmniGod (a divinity who is essentially omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent) but also the reality of other irreducibly spiritual entities (like human souls) and nonphysical causal processes (like miracles). Thus, the dispute between MN and JCT involves a good deal more than just the debate over the existence of God, even if that remains the core dividing line between them. -
Metaphysical Naturalism and the Ignorance of Categorical Properties
Copyright © 2017 by Lok-Chi Chan Thesis supervisor: Professor David Braddon-Mitchell Department of Philosophy, The University of Sydney Cover design: Chan Man Yuk i Declaration I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work. Assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources have been acknowledged. Lok-Chi Chan ii Abstract The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the connections between metaphysical naturalism and the categorical ignorance thesis – offered by Rae Langton (1998), David Lewis (2009), Frank Jackson (1998), and Simon Blackburn (1990) – and determine whether the latter will challenge the former. According to metaphysical naturalism, the actual world contains only metaphysically natural things. According to the categorical ignorance thesis, all we can know about things are their dispositional properties, but the categorical properties that bear these properties remain in principle unknowable. In this dissertation, I will determine whether the ignorance of categorical properties – as Rae Langton (1998), David Braddon-Mitchell and Frank Jackson (2007), John Foster (1993) and Alyssa Ney (2007) argue (or worry about) – is consistent with metaphysical naturalism (or physicalism), and whether it will lead to a scepticism about the metaphysical naturalness of categorical properties, which will, in turn, significantly decrease the probability that metaphysical naturalism is true. Being attracted to metaphysical naturalism, the categorical ignorance thesis, and also the philosophical position that the two theses are consistent, I will argue that the answer to the former question is yes, and that the answer to the latter question is no. Russellian Monism, an influential doctrine in philosophy of mind that is relevant to the topic, will also be considered. -
Metaphysical Naturalism, Semantic Normativity, and Meta-Semantic
4 -1j8~ OQ~~ ~PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES, 18 Naturalism and Normativity, 1993 MetaphysicalNaturalism, Semantic Normativity, and Meta-Semantic Irrealism* Terry Horgan and Mark Timmons Semantic discourse -discourse employing notions like meaning and truth- gives rise to questions about the semantics, metaphysics, and epistemology of such notions: What sort of metaphysical commitments does semantic dis- course (as ordinarily used) involve? Does such discourse commit us to the existence of semantic properties and facts? If so, are there such properties and facts? What sort of properties and facts are they? *We are grateful to Jaegwon Kim, Manuel Liz, and Enrique Villanueva for their probing commentaries at the 1992 SOFIA conference, and to the conference participants for their very useful comments and questions. We also benefitted from conversations with David Henderson, John Tienson, and Bill Throop. 18. METAPHYSICALNATURALISM 181 How (if at all) can semantic properties be detected and how can semantic facts be known? Such questions are, of course, the analogs to standard meta-ethi- cal questions about moral discourse, and are appropriately labeled meta-semantic questions. In this paper we pursue, in a prelimi- nary way, these and related meta-semantic questions. We approach them from the perspective of a thoroughgoing philosophical natural- ism and argue that if a particular semantic story is approximately correct, viz., a story that emphasizes the normativity and context sensitivity of semantic notions (a view we call contextual semantics), then that story can be used to defend a plausible version of meta- semantic irrealism. 1 Accommodation Programs A philosophical interpretation or account of some realm of discourse (e.g., moral, semantic, aesthetic) that purports to answer meta- questions about that discourse, is usually guided by one or both of the following desiderata.