ISSUE 99 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 UK £3.50 US & CANADA $7.99 Philosophy Now a magazine of ideas William Lane Craig Simon Blackburn Timothy Chappell THE Daphne Hampson Van Harvey on belief and disbelief GOD ISSUE The New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling invites Applications for January: Foundation Certificate in Psychotherapy, Counselling & Coaching • MA Existential Coaching (Validated by Middlesex University. Study for an MA Individual modules available for CPD) • via distance learning… DProf in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling (joint course with Middlesex University, leading to eligibility for UKCP registration) MA Philosophy MA Applied Philosophy For details of all available courses or to apply contact: NSPC, 254-256 Belsize Road, London NW6 4BT Tel: MA European Philosophy 0207 624 0471 • [email protected] • www.nspc.org.uk 0300 500 1822 www.tsd.ac.uk Far from merely recycling what we already know about certain PATHWAYS TO PHILOSOPHY paradoxes, this book breaks Distance learning programs leading to Awards from the International Society for Philosophers entirely new ground by providing and London University BA Philosophy Degree what everyone really wants: www.philosophypathways.com solutions. The king of all paradoxes is the Liar (‘This statement is false.’ If it is true, it is false; if it is false, it is true), which in its earliest form is over two and a half thousand years old. Throughout all this time it has resisted every attempt to fully understand it. This work finally unlocks the secrets of the Liar, exposing principles, patterns and formulae that have long lain hidden. Several other important paradoxes also come under the logical searchlight and they too surrender their treasures. Though paradoxes are inherently difficult, this book approaches them in a clear and entertaining manner, using plain English. Secrets of the Paradox is written for the general reader, yet is sufficiently rigorous to satisfy the demands of the professional philosopher. Choose from: Introduction to Philosophy, Philosophy of If you relish an intellectual challenge, this book is for you! Mind, Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Language, Ethics, Metaphysics. Visit the Pathways web site for further details or (PB) 9781783060269 £9.99 (ebook) 9781783069286 £6.99 email Dr Geoffrey Klempner, Director of Studies, at Published August 2013 pp 220 www.troubador.co.uk [email protected] Philosophy Now ISSUE 99 Nov/Dec 2013 Philosophy Now, EDITORIAL & NEWS 43a Jerningham Road, 4 Telegraph Hill, Gadzooks! Rick Lewis London SE14 5NQ 5 News in Brief United Kingdom Tel. 020 7639 7314 20 Interview: Simon Blackburn [email protected] http://philosophynow.org Rick Lewis asks Simon Blackburn why he is an atheist PROBLEMS OF BELIEF & UNBELIEF Editor-in-Chief Rick Lewis Editors Anja Steinbauer, Grant Bartley 6 Does God Exist? Digital Editor Bora Dogan William Lane Craig presents eight reasons to believe Graphic Design Grant Bartley, Rick Lewis, Anja Steinbauer 10 Huxley’s Agnosticism Film Editor Thomas Wartenberg Book Reviews Charles Echelbarger, Van Harvey presents T.H. Huxley’s reason not to believe Heidi Pintschovius 13 Theism, History & Experience Marketing Manager Sue Roberts Administration Ewa Stacey Timothy Chappell argues that experience fully justifies belief Advertising Team 17 Moral Manipulation & The Problem of Evil Jay Sanders, Ellen Stevens [email protected] Jimmy Alfonso Licon believes that free will can’t explain evil UK Editorial Board GOD OR NOT? Rick Lewis, Anja Steinbauer, OTHER ARTICLES Bora Dogan, Grant Bartley pages 6-21 and pages 46-49 22 Does Psychiatry Medicalize Normality? US Editorial Board Dr Timothy J. Madigan (St John Fisher 2006 Ronald Pies examines recent claims that psychiatry labels some College), Prof. Charles Echelbarger normal human states-of-mind as diseased or pathological (SUNY), Prof. Raymond Pfeiffer (Delta ICTURES College), Prof. Jonathan Adler (CUNY) P 26 Thoughts on Oughts Contributing Editors OGUE Alexander Razin (Moscow State Univ.) /R Stephen Anderson asks if it’s possible to derive ‘duty’ from facts UK Editorial Advisors 30 Piers Benn, Chris Bloor, Gordon Giles, Has Philosophy Lost Its Way? RODUCTIONS Paul Gregory, John Heawood P John Lachs wants to see it back on the path of righteousness ARI US Editorial Advisors Y Prof. Raymond Angelo Belliotti, Toni OB 32 What Did Mary Know? Vogel Carey, Prof. Rosalind Ekman © B Marina Gerner on consciousness and knowledge Ladd, Prof. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, PIC Prof. Harvey Siegel 36 Brief Lives: Søren Kierkegaard ARTY Cover Painting The Ancient of Days P Daphne Hampson on the godfather of existentialism by William Blake LOCK B REVIEWS Printed by Graspo CZ, a.s., REVOLUTIONARY Pod Sternberkem 324, 76302 Zlin, 44 Film: Dave Chappelle’s Block Party Czech Republic Dharmender Dhillon on Marcuse & hip hop UK newstrade distribution through: 46 Book: The Bible Comag Specialist Division, DavePA Chappelle’s RTY Block Party Tavistock Works, Tavistock Rd, p.44 by Various, reviewed by Les Reid West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QX 48 Books: The Big Questions: God Tel. 01895 433800 and: God: All That Matters U.S. & Canadian bookstores through: 2013 Disticor Magazine Distribution Services both by Mark Vernon, both reviewed by Ian Robinson 695 Westney Road S., Unit 14, TRADIS REGULARS Ajax, Ontario L1S 6M9 S Tel. (905) 619 6565 25 Science & Philosophy: What Hard Problem? Australian newstrade distribution: THAMOS Massimo Pigliucci thinks explaining consciousness will be easy Gordon & Gotch pty A © 39 Ethical Episodes: That Was The Year That Was Level 2, 9 Rodborough Road French’s Forest, NSW 2086 Joel Marks rides off into the sunset Tel: 02 9972 8800 IERKEGAARD K 40 Letters to the Editor The opinions expressed in this magazine 52 Tallis in Wonderland: Seeing & Believing do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or editorial board of Raymond Tallis uses philosophy to do both, simultaneously Philosophy Now. POETRY & FICTION NTERPRETATION OF Philosophy Now is published by I 31 Be Not Afeared Anja Publications Ltd ISSN 0961-5970 KIERKEGAARD Rebecca Chapman poetically exhorts us all to think Revolutionary Dane 54 The Skeptibot Back Issues p.50 Subscriptions p.51 page 36 Kevin Heinrich pushes technology over the edge of reason November/December 2013 ● Philosophy Now 3 Editorial Gadzooks! s I type these words, the Festive Season is looming up the motion of the planets in their orbits) are rarely mentioned fast in my wing mirrors like some fairy-light bedecked by theologians any more, it being widely accepted that science Atruck on a desert highway. Christmas is coming and this now explains them adequately enough. Therefore sceptics tend issue is about problems of theism. Theism is the belief in a to assume that the remaining gaps in scientific knowledge will benevolent, omnipresent figure who distributes blessings gradually be filled in too, leaving the ‘God of the Gaps’ with around the world. No, not Santa Claus – God. People often less and less to explain until He disappears altogether. Prof. complain that the true meaning of Christmas has been Craig, though, chooses aspects of nature so fundamental that forgotten, but even for Christians there is some controversy he believes them to be beyond the reach of any future science. over what that meaning is: Oliver Cromwell, for instance, Prof. Timothy Chappell takes a completely different tack banned Christmas altogether. Stephen Anderson in his article to defend religious belief, relying less on formal arguments on p.26 takes a seasonal look at the idea of charity at Christmas. and more on what he calls the religious experience of the My lack of religious belief was one of the reasons I became individual believer. He says that it is rational for believers to interested in philosophy in the first place, but that doesn’t discount even apparently persuasive arguments against God’s stop me from being fascinated by the whole question of God’s existence, because they are sure of His existence anyway from existence and nature. If there is a God, then that is one of the their daily experience of Him. A third approach to religious most important things for us to know. And if God doesn’t belief is discussed by the eminent theologian Prof. Daphne exist, or if the whole matter is literally impossible for us to Hampson in her ‘brief life’ article about the Danish existen- know one way or the other, well, that’s pretty important too. tialist Søren Kierkegaard, who advocated a ‘leap of faith’. Either way, your view of this is bound to affect the way you After these three approaches to belief, you are probably look at so many other things too. I’m delighted to report that wondering where all the unbelievers are. Well, the infidels, we have mustered a very distinguished crew of contributors to atheists and agnostics are ably represented by Prof. Van share their thoughts about this, including theists, agnostics Harvey who writes on two different kinds of agnosticism; by and atheists. They include several of the leading philosophers Jimmy Licon who writes on the Problem of Evil (If God writing on philosophy of religion today. really is omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent, why The current French nickname for the English (the does he allow so much evil in the world?); in our Book printable one, anyway) is les rosbifs, after the national dish of Reviews section, Les Reid gives the Bible a right bashing, and the folks north of the Channel, but back in the Middle Ages, Ian Robinson reviews two books by the philosopher, agnostic they used to refer to the English as les goddams. This reflected and ex-vicar Dr Mark Vernon. And then we interview one of the notorious English fondness for blasphemy. Regrettably, the best-known and most eloquent of humanist philosophers, “God Damn!” wasn’t the only way in which foulmouthed Prof. Simon Blackburn, about his life without belief in God.