Miracles are revelatory, laws of nature = descriptive (Hick), conflicting relig. claims don't estab truths
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What is the contigency definition of miracles?
They are signs from God
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How does R.F Holland see miracles?
Religiously interpreted coincidences
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What analogy does Holland use?
A train stopping just in front of a child
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How does Richard Swinburne respond to Hume?
Laws of nature only show what will probably happen
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Why does Maurice Wiles reject God's miracles?
They can't occur frequently b/c that breaks laws of nature; however, that leads to a God that can't or doesn't solve things like Holocaust; favouritism
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Give three criticisms of Wiles
Goes against Bible, judges God by human standards, misses point of miracles (Ward,revealing things about God)
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Give three strengths of Wiles
Theists can see prayer as allowing connection w/ God, solves Problem of Evil, allows belief in God + science
9 of 25
Define epistemology
The study of knowledge
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Define belief
Something known to be true based on experience, testimony, etc
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Define knowledge
Objective/certain, regardless of our belief in it
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Define empiricism
Knowledge gained through sense experience
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Define skepticism
Nothing certain, knowledge is beyond our grasp.
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Define rationalism
Knowledge gained through reasoning, no reference to sensory experience,
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How did Hume use the story of an Indian prince?
Prince doesn't believe water can freeze as he's never seen it; shows limitations of our experience (can draw false conclusions)
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What quote does Hume use to show his belief in empiricism?
"Wise men proportion their beliefs to the evidence available."
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What does Aquinas believe about miracles?
Can be ranked - God bypassing natural order, God does something nature can't usually do, things which God can do + nature can't
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What is the first step of Hume's lack of probability argument?
1. Laws of nature = inductive probabilities
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What is the second?
2. Inc. no. of observations = inc prob.
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What is the third step?
Laws of nature certain, based on observations
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What is the fourth and fifth step?
Miracles are breaches of laws of nature, making them highly improbable due to evidence.
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What is the sixth and seventh step?
Irrational to believe improbable, therefore a belief in miracles is irrational.
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How does Dawkins understand miracles?
No evidence; stories told to us by adults that we believed as true
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How does Wiles view the incarnation?
As Jesus' symbolic response to God
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
Criticisms of Hume
Back
Miracles are revelatory, laws of nature = descriptive (Hick), conflicting relig. claims don't estab truths
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