Reclaiming the Mind’s C. Michael Patton has provided a Top-10 list of arguments for the existence of God. Which ones convince or don’t convince you, and why?
10 Arguments for the Existence of God
Reclaiming the Mind’s C. Michael Patton has provided a Top-10 list of arguments for the existence of God. Which ones convince or don’t convince you, and why?Filed under Uncategorized
Mike,
I am currently in a series of posts at OutsideTheBox discussing the five strongest arguments for theism from my perspective. The current and final argument is “The Existence of Evil”. I haven’t seen this argument used much at all, and yet it has always been a strong evidence for me. I thought I was the only one. So it is interesting to see that this argument makes Michael Patton’s list.
Never understood the existence for evil argument.If you say that you know what is evil and what is not, then you dont need God. If you are saying you dont know, but rely on a transcendant cause then you are making an a priori statement that there must be a transcendent cause.Brian
The cosmological and teleological arguments seem the strongest to me, though I probably wouldn’t put them the same way he has.
The sensus divinatus I find pretty absurd. I’ve lain in bed fearful of an intruder who wasn’t there. My feeling didn’t validate my prediction.
I also find the argument from miracles pretty weak, having never witnessed one myself. For me, belief in God is the basis for belief in the Biblical miracles, not vice versa. If I were to witness a genuine miracle, though, I would consider that evidence of the transcendent.
Pascal’s wager is not evidence for God, just a utilitarian argument to believe in him. And even then it falls apart if there are multiple claims for different deities who will punish you eternally for not following only them.
Cliff,
I’m with Brian. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the existence of evil as being evidence for God. Maybe I just need a paradigm shift.
AMW,
Excellent thoughts on the basis for belief in biblical miracles! And your insight on Pascal’s Wager is equally valid in my eyes. Thanks.
If you read Thomas Aquinas you can see he states that the physical notion of "evil" does not exist. Rather, evil is "distance from God". Thus, the more someone is considered evil, the further they are from God.
This has the advantage of defining evil in terms of God. Thus, you have a marker for all that is good (God) and evil is simply the distance from said good. And thus the purpose of living life as Christ is the attempt to be as close to God as possible — i.e., the least evil.
I'd recommend those interested in reading about proofs of God, what is evil, how Reason defines the universe, etc. that they pick up the Summa by Thomas. A tough read, but well worth it.