A Meaning for A Meaning for ExistenceExistence

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

Philosophical ResponsePhilosophical Response

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

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

TheismTheism

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

DeismDeism

Believe that a God created this universe but Believe that a God created this universe but does not intervene with it.does not intervene 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 (personal)Belief in God as a being (personal)

PantheismPantheism

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

everythingeverything

PanentheismPanentheism

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

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

Western Traditional ResponsesWestern Traditional Responses Ontological ArgumentOntological Argument

Argument is a priori – no evidence from senses; only Argument is a priori – no evidence from senses; only concepts and reasoningconcepts 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 God would be missing ** If God does not possess existence, than God would be missing an important feature that all existing things have because God is an important feature that all existing things have because God is perfect he must exist.perfect he must exist.

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

Cosmological ArgumentCosmological Argument Is there a moment when the universe began?Is there a moment when the universe began? It is impossible for anything to create itself.It is impossible for anything to create itself. There must be Cause to the cause-and-effect series There must be Cause to the cause-and-effect series

that is experienced therefore there must be a that is experienced therefore there must be a supreme beingsupreme being

Critics: Big Bang TheoryCritics: Big Bang Theory

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

Design or Teleological ArgumentDesign or Teleological Argument Orderliness of the universe suggests an all powerful Orderliness of the universe suggests an all powerful

agent must be responsible for its creationagent must be responsible for its creation Critics: Universe is deceptively orderly; more chaos Critics: Universe is deceptively orderly; more chaos

than order (collapsing galaxies, dark matter/energy, than order (collapsing galaxies, dark matter/energy, black holes, etc.)black holes, etc.)

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

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

securitysecurity Everything in nature can be explained by scienceEverything in nature can be explained by science

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

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

NihilistsNihilists – life is meaningless – life is meaningless TheisticTheistic – the meaning of life is part of God’s – the meaning of life is part of God’s

plan and you must discover itplan and you must discover it Non TheisticNon Theistic – the meaning of life is what you – the meaning of life is what you

make of it. Humans are self-conscious and self-make of it. Humans are self-conscious and self-defining.defining.

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

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

DeterminismDeterminism Read the Thought Experiment on Page 166. Write a Read the Thought Experiment on Page 166. Write a

paragraph reflection on the idea of Free Will.paragraph reflection on the idea of Free Will.