positions on the theistic arguments - richard g. howerichard swinburne) thomists arguments are...
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![Page 1: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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Positions on the Theistic Arguments
Richard G. Howe, Ph.D.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there are
different views on whether or how there is
any relevance for the theistic arguments.
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It might be surprising to some, however, that the different views do not fall along the lines of
theists and non-theists.
In combining the options of theists and non-theists together with the options of
relevant and irrelevant we get these results.
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Non-theists - irrelevantNon-theists - relevantTheists - relevantTheists - irrelevant
Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
non-Theists / Irrelevant
Theists / Irrelevant
non-Theists / Relevant
Theists / Relevant
![Page 4: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
Ludwig Wittgenstein1889 - 1951
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Alfred Jules Ayer1910-1989
Kai Nielsen
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
David Hume1711-1776
![Page 7: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
Richard Swinburne
![Page 8: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
Thomas Aquinas1225-1274
Summa Theologiae
![Page 9: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
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Etienne Gilson
Norman Geisler
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Edward Feser
Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
![Page 11: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
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Søren Kierkegaard1813-1855
Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick),
![Page 12: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
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John Hick1922-2012
Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is
primary (Blaise Pascal),
![Page 13: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
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Blaise Pascal1623-1662
Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is
primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).
![Page 14: Positions on the Theistic Arguments - Richard G. HoweRichard Swinburne) Thomists Arguments are proofs. Theism is established. (Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman](https://reader033.vdocuments.net/reader033/viewer/2022042120/5e99b55ecccacc6dc9408c9a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
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Cornelius Van Til1895-1987
Cornelius Van Til1895-1987
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is
primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).
AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be
established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)
Robert Jastrow1925-2008
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is
primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).
AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be
established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)
AtheistsArguments surface important philosophical
issues. The evidence proves atheism.(J. L. Mackie, early Antony Flew, Theodore
Drange, Michael Martin)
J. L. Mackie1917-1981
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J. L. Mackie1917-1981
Antony Flew1923-2010
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Antony Flew1923-2010
Theodore M. Drange
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Irrelevant
non-
Thei
sts Theists
Relevant
Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically
meaningless.
(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)
SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.
(David Hume)
EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a
cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)
ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.
(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)
ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely
unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily
propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)
Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first
principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is
primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).
AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be
established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)
AtheistsArguments surface important philosophical
issues. The evidence proves atheism.(J. L. Mackie, early Antony Flew, Theodore
Drange, Michael Martin)