A Meaning for A Meaning for ExistenceExistence

Is there a supreme being Is there a supreme being who created the universe?who created the universe?

Philosophical ResponsePhilosophical Response

In general, philosophers do not In general, philosophers do not dispute or refute the existence dispute or refute the existence of a supreme being.of a supreme being.

Philosophers disagree about the Philosophers disagree about the meaning/concept of “supreme meaning/concept of “supreme being”being”

TheismTheism

Study of God or godsStudy of God or gods Believe in a God who interacts Believe in a God who interacts with the universewith the universe

DeismDeism

Believe that a God created this Believe that a God created this universe but does not intervene universe but does not intervene with it.with it.

PolytheismPolytheism

Belief in many powerful gods.Belief in many powerful gods. Example. Ancient GreeceExample. Ancient Greece

MonotheismMonotheism

Belief in one powerful GodBelief in one powerful God Belief in God as a being Belief in God as a being (personal)(personal)

PantheismPantheism

God is impersonalGod is impersonal Supreme being that is Supreme being that is everywhere and in everythingeverywhere and in everything

PanentheismPanentheism

God is everything.God is everything. Personalizing God distorts Personalizing God distorts God’s reality.God’s reality.

How can you prove that God How can you prove that God exists?exists?

Western Traditional ResponsesWestern Traditional Responses Ontological ArgumentOntological Argument

Argument is a priori – no evidence from Argument is a priori – no evidence from senses; only concepts and reasoningsenses; only concepts and reasoning

Defines God as a supremely perfect beingDefines God as a supremely perfect being All powerfulAll powerful All knowingAll knowing Self CausingSelf Causing

** If God does not possess existence, than ** If God does not possess existence, than God would be missing an important feature God would be missing an important feature that all existing things have because God is that all existing things have because God is perfect he must exist.perfect he must exist.

How can you prove that God How can you prove that God exists?exists?

Cosmological ArgumentCosmological Argument Is there a moment when the universe Is there a moment when the universe began?began?

It is impossible for anything to It is impossible for anything to create itself.create itself.

There must be Cause to the cause-There must be Cause to the cause-and-effect series that is and-effect series that is experienced therefore there must be experienced therefore there must be a supreme beinga supreme being

Critics: Big Bang TheoryCritics: Big Bang Theory

How can you prove that God How can you prove that God exists?exists?

Design or Teleological ArgumentDesign or Teleological Argument Orderliness of the universe Orderliness of the universe suggests an all powerful agent suggests an all powerful agent must be responsible for its must be responsible for its creationcreation

Critics: Universe is deceptively Critics: Universe is deceptively orderly; more chaos than order orderly; more chaos than order (collapsing galaxies, dark (collapsing galaxies, dark matter/energy, black holes, etc.)matter/energy, black holes, etc.)

How can you prove that God How can you prove that God exists?exists?

Atheism – rejects the idea of Atheism – rejects the idea of the existence of an all knowing, the existence of an all knowing, all powerful, supreme being.all powerful, supreme being. Humans are cruelHumans are cruel World is imperfectWorld is imperfect Idea of a God fulfills humans Idea of a God fulfills humans psychological need for securitypsychological need for security

Everything in nature can be Everything in nature can be explained by scienceexplained by science

What is the meaning of What is the meaning of life?life?

Why do humans exist? What is the Why do humans exist? What is the meaning of my life?meaning of my life?

NihilistsNihilists – life is meaningless – life is meaningless TheisticTheistic – the meaning of life is – the meaning of life is part of God’s plan and you must part of God’s plan and you must discover itdiscover it

Non TheisticNon Theistic – the meaning of life – the meaning of life is what you make of it. Humans are is what you make of it. Humans are self-conscious and self-defining.self-conscious and self-defining.

What do you believe??What do you believe??

Task:Task: Read Pages 164-168Read Pages 164-168 Define: Hard Determinism, Define: Hard Determinism, Freedom, and Soft DeterminismFreedom, and Soft Determinism

Read the Thought Experiment on Read the Thought Experiment on Page 166. Write a paragraph Page 166. Write a paragraph reflection on the idea of Free reflection on the idea of Free Will.Will.