May 2013
43 posts
thenewenlightenmentage asked: I'll look for PDFs and if necessary, buy any relevant books written by the philosophers named. What does one have to do to be an "awkward" philosopher? If I were Christian, I would take him over Craig any day. That's just me. Never mind the awesome professorial beard.
thenewenlightenmentage asked: I meant to say that it's a position I definitely don't disagree with. A lot of d's going on there, so you can see the mix up. To be honest though, I haven't seen any good arguments against metaphysical naturalism.
thenewenlightenmentage asked: And that is a position I definitely don't agree with. This isn't for sake of argument, but since you accept Evolution, how do you feel about the Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism? Of course, you're likely not a naturalist, but does the argument factor in your belief that Evolution is guided?
thenewenlightenmentage asked: "I wouldn’t necessarily say that. In furthering what knowledge is and what knowledge amounts to, philosophy is clearly superior to science in a hierarchy of epistemology." Now this I agree with. However, a number of philosophers would disagree with the notion that philosophy is a science--at least in the modern sense of the meaning. I haven't made a conclusion in that regard.
thenewenlightenmentage asked: Then you haven't considered, for instance, Quine's naturalization of epistemology in where he treats knowledge as a scientific account. In any case, I think you're moving the goalposts; to say that philosophy is superior in an epistemological sense, is to say that it is superior in the acquisition of knowledge. This seems to be your conclusion and if so, I strongly disagree.
thenewenlightenmentage asked: Hence why I would disagree with your conclusion that philosophy is superior to science. Science systematically tests each conjecture and via falsification, it determines which ones are best. Philosophy doesn't do this; hence why there have been attempts to make philosophy more scientific (i.e. Quine, Rosenberg). Philosophy and science already converge in some respects, but I can't agree...
gratiadei-deactivated20130517 asked: Forget Popper. What about Poppins and her elevation due to device for the diversion of precipitation theory?
thenewenlightenmentage asked: This isn't an argumentative matter. My point is that I think she raised a valid point, and that the comment you made was unwarranted. Of course there are criticisms, but I think Popper did meet his burden; he agreed with the soundness of the Problem of Induction, but I think falsification answers that. He states (I paraphrase) that we aren't to trust theories because they work...
thenewenlightenmentage asked: All of those people were influenced either directly or indirectly by the thinkers before them. Popper was no doubt influenced by Hume; he even agreed with Hume's conclusion! However, he proposed a solution. Contributors and thinkers improve and thus, the discipline improves; a discipline that doesn't improve becomes obsolete. I really don't see why you wouldn't want to accept a...
jedimasterkirito asked: Will your book be available at Amazon?
evolvedstardust said: I would turn anon off if I were you.
I just did! Same idiot everyday always comes by.
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Why Philosophy is Superior to Science
Though the wording of the title of this post might seem to be advancing some degree of propaganda or “anti-scientific” jargon, I promise it isn’t. When I say that “philosophy is superior to science”, I do not mean to say that in regards to my personal experience or preference, philosophy is clearly more interesting or intellectually satisfying than science. Arrogantly beyond that point, I would...
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Religious Beliefs - Rational or Irrational?
Religious Beliefs - Rational or Irrational?
by Rick Pimentel (Philosophy News)
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, published in 1997, was written by Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology at UCLA and expert in anthropology and evolutionary biology. This hugely popular book won the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1998. Professor Diamond’s objective for the...
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Interesting Mock Dialogue Between Pope Benedict...
Pope Benedict Meets Ayn Rand
By Richard Pimentel
Imagine this conversation between Pope Benedict XVI and the late Ayn Rand. Yes, you heard correct, Pope Benedict XVI and Ayn Rand, the late Russian author and philosopher who was known for writing The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for her philosophy of objectivism.
Benedict: Ms. Rand, you remind me of Oriana Fallaci, my late friend....
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Faith and Reason in Existentialist Thought
“There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.” - George Bernard Shaw
I sit here at 1 A.M. writing this essay. I put in a full day at the office, spend hours commuting to and from work, and then enjoy time with my family over dinner and a movie. I work on my finances, do some minor chores around the house and then retire...
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jakita18 asked: What the book about
jakita18 asked: When you going to write a book ?
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Freedom of Religion vs. Freedom from Religion →
The article opens:
Call it freedom of religion vs. freedom from religion: The Defense Department was engulfed in a firestorm over religious expression last week, caught in the middle of a tit-for-tat fight between Mikey Weinstein, the former Air Force officer and lawyer at the head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and retired Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, a senior official with the...
bearyourcross asked: I guess you could say that there is a relation, yes.
bearyourcross asked: Also, to thenewenlightenment age, I'm fairly certain that Madden has read Misquoting Jesus (in fact, she might even own it), and assuming that she hasn't is kind of rude.
bearyourcross asked: What are your thoughts on the apologetic case that Christianity gives the best explanation for why people have acted the way that they have throughout history in regards to one another, other forms of life, and the universe? In other words, Christianity is true because it makes the most sense out of how we see people behave (or, as an alternative, that we know the bible is inspired by God because...
thenewenlightenmentage asked: So if his conclusion isn't that most atheists have defective fathers (which he seemed to imply), what is he trying to say? If he doesn't have a strong conclusion, I don't see the point. The synopsis says he has 20 or so biological sketches of famous atheists in order to support his conclusion (an inadequate sample indeed). It's interesting enough to read, but it flies in the...
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The Big Same-Sex Marriage Lie →
Opening of the article:
Same-sex marriage will never be widely accepted in America for a simple reason: It’s based on a lie. But don’t take my word on this; leading LGBT scholars and activists say as much.
Of course no matter what the topic of a given article is (whether Im even for or against it) I never really appreciate the provocative titles that they have for propaganda purposes....
thenewenlightenmentage asked: So you're stating that his book has an adequate sample size? There isn't 1 famous atheist for every 5 atheists. In other words, there aren't enough famous atheists to speak for the population of atheists (past and present). His sample size is clearly inadequate. Telling me to read the book is a cop out response that refuses to see any merit in my objections.
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Ask Questions!
Lately there have been some new comers that have messaged me in regards to their laity on certain philosophical/apologetic topics. On this page I do encourage questions or requests for more in depth explanations to tougher questions or to my position on things.
I even make book recommendations! Also, don’t forget to check out my Book of the Month link on my page for books I have read that...
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Why Doesn't God Heal Amputees?
This argument is an internet sensation, but I find it utterly unconvincing for a few reasons:
1. This objection assumes that God has never healed an amputee. However, how can one know that God has never healed any amputee ever in human history?
2. It is possible that God has morally sufficient reasons for not healing amputees. Since this is at the very least possible, this objection fails.
As...
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The Great God Debate II - The Origin of Life →
MICHAEL RUSE, PHD - AFFIRMATIVE POSITION
Michael Ruse, philosopher and historian of science, was awarded an MA in philosophy from McMaster University in 1964. He returned to Bristol for his doctoral work and was awarded a PhD in 1970 for his dissertation, “The Nature of Biology.” He taught at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, from 1965 to 2000. Since 2000, Professor Ruse has served as...
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'If God Doesn't Exist then Nothing is Wrong'
“In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov (1821-1881), a story of four brothers in Russia is a grim description of the reality of what the world would look like if God were not to exist. One brother, Ivan, an atheist, tells another brother that there are no objective truths, specifically that there are no moral absolutes. Ivan’s brother then kills his father, an act that obtains no...
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A Simpler Exposition of the Ontological Argument...
The Ontological Argument, in light of St. Anselm, [Archbishop of Canterbury] (1033-1109), was formulated under his Proslogium (2-3) with the conception of God as “the greatest conceivable being”, or “the being by which none greater can be conceived”. As Anselm writes:
“For that a thing is in the understanding is distinct from understanding that [this] thing exists....
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What is your opinion of the Ontological Argument?
Do you think that it is convincing or useful in anyway as an argument for the existence of God? Now, bear in mind, there are far more versions merely than St. Anselm’s (1033-1109) and Alvin Plantinga’s. This argument can be found in Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, and other modern thinkers such as Norman Malcolm, Charles Hartshorne, and Graham Oppy.
We can use Anselm’s argument...
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The Ontological Argument and Why It Should be...
Those of us familiar with this argument, for the sake of the unfamiliar I think it would be in order to explain in short what the Ontological Argument is and entails epistemically/metaphysically (see here for explanations of epistemology and metaphysics).
(I).
St. Anselm (1033-1109) was the Archbishop of Canterbury and became a Benedictine monk who taught theology and philosophy just starting...
jedimasterkirito asked: Is there a story behind the name of your blog?
Anonymous asked: What is your view on eschatology? You're dispensationist, right? Aren't all Christians dispensationalist?
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Understanding Epistemology and Metaphysics
Metaphysics – “The study of being or reality” (N. Geisler, “Introduction to Philosophy“; Baker Publishing, cp. 1980, p. 432).
Epistemology – “Theory of knowledge or how we know” (Ibid. 431).
To quote the source I used, “Through usage the term has come to mean ‘beyond’ the physical. Hence, metaphysics, at least for some philosophers, is the study of being or reality” (p. 34). Metaphysics comes...
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jakita18 asked: What is the Theistic Evolution and benfits and Weakness of Theistic Evolution
April 2013
52 posts
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The Village School of Atheism →
New post on the Apologetic Augustine! Inspired by this quote:
“At any rate, there is a certain quality of intellectual temper that has characterized, and continues to characterize, many philosophical atheists. (I am excluding from consideration the so-called ‘village atheist’, whose primary concern is to twit and ridicule those who accept some form of theism, or for that matter...
jedimasterkirito asked: Worst argument for God's existence?
onlyhitsuzen asked: Hey! Thanks for the follow! Although I'm not quite an apologetics blogger, just a regular guy reading up apologetics as a "voice in the wilderness" on the side...
tripp-and-fall asked: I get really happy when I see you using sound philosophy to refute people's poor arguments on here. Not that I'm a great philosopher, but I know enough to follow your debates and you are practically always right. You have been given a great gift for the kingdom. Keep using it brother.
thoughtswholesale asked: Regarding your latest post - couldn't agree more with your point about quantum mechanics. However, I would like to further examine Geisler's comments on Hume's Is-Ought distinction. No one supporting the distinction arrives at the conclusion that every community is right, as that too would be a violation of said distinction. Moral oughtness is a compulsion, which at times is...
Anonymous asked: What do you think of Frank Turek?
Anonymous asked: "confused on the extent of what they mean"; "doesn’t understand the extent of what they’re saying."; "he doesn’t understand the nature of science or what he’s even talking about"; "doesn’t understand the extent of what they’re saying." Such accusations show up at least four times on just page 1 of your blog. I think your...
