Mark lambe philosophy eduqas -notes

Religious Studies A-Level

Religious Philosophy (Eduqas)

Themes

Theme 1. Arguments for the existence of God

1. Inductive Arguments

2. Deductive Arguments

Theme 2. Challenges to religious belief

1. The problem of evil

2. Religious belief as a product of the human mind

Theme 3. Religious Experience

1. Religious Experience – Part 1

2. Religious Experience – Part 2

Theme 4. Religious Language

1. Religious Language – Part 1

2. Religious Language – Part 2Theme 1. Arguments for the existence of God

   i: Inductive Arguments

   Part ‘A’ Question (Theory) – Inductive Arguments - 24 mins in the exam 

   
   

   Section 1: Introduction to Inductive Arguments

   • This topic is designed to give you an overview of arguments (proofs) of God’s Existence.  This topic will also consider challenges to these ‘proofs’ of God’s existence.

   • In this section we will look at ‘INDUCTIVE’ arguments for the existence of God. 

   Inductive Arguments:

   • The arguments you will see in this section are inductive.  An inductive argument is an argument where the premise (the arguments supporting it) provide strong reasons for you to accept the conclusion.

   • For example, if I wanted to prove the argument that ‘Manchester United were a better football club than Manchester City’, I would put forward a set of premises (arguments) that I thought were so strong that you would have to conclude that Manchester United were the better club.  

   A-posteriori

   • The inductive arguments you are going to look at are also a-posteriori (empirical).  This means that the arguments are going to be based on human observation or experience.

   • For example, Manchester United are the better football team because it was observed they beat Manchester City 1-0 in March 2016. 

   Inductive Arguments for the existence of God

   • There are two types of inductive arguments for the existence of God: 

   • Cosmological Arguments

   • Teleological Arguments

   
   

   Section 2: Inductive Arguments for the Existence of God 1 – The Cosmological Argument

   Background: Cosmological Argument

   • The cosmological argument tries to show that God exists 100% (not that He might but He definitely does).

   • Cosmological arguments are based upon the idea of CAUSES i.e. everything has a cause e.g. the football moves only because I kicked it (cause).  However, that cause also has a cause etc.  

   • The cosmological argument works on the belief that a chain of causes and effects cannot go back an infinite number of times. Therefore, there must be a first causer that started the first cause.  

   • Cosmologicalists believe that the first causer is God.  

   • The syllabus wants you to look at two Philosophers who have created Cosmological Arguments: 

   • An old version by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

   • A modern version (called the Kalam Argument) by William Lane Craig (1949-………).

   Version 1: Aquinas’ Cosmological Arguments

   • Aquinas cosmological arguments (from his book ‘Summa Theological’) are influenced by the work of the great Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle was also influencedbythe works of great Jewish thinker Maimonides and influential Muslim thinker Avicenna.

   • Aquinas split his Cosmological argument into 3 different ways to reflect the slightly different arguments of his influences (see below).  They…