Critics such as Dawkins and Russell say the universe is here today due to ‘brute fact’ whereas Swinburne would argue highly with that and say ‘God is simpler than anything we could imagine and gives an explanation for the system’. Incorporation Aristotle’s notion of a prime mover, Aquinas formulated his version of the cosmological or "first cause" argument. The first cause incorporates the theory that there must be a contingency/necessary being. According to this argument, the things which we see around us now are the products of a series of previous causes indicating a prime mover. But that series cannot go back in time forever.
J. Ayer claimed that to speak of a designed universe is meaningless. Unless we could say what the world would have been like without a designer, we cannot reach the conclusion that this world is designed. Who establishes that there is beneficial order in the universe? How do we argue from that to the conclusion that god has designed it? Swinburne counted this by claiming that the order in the universe does require an explanation.
It is also deductive, so the conclusion is the only possible one that could be deduced give the premises. Therefore, it is theoretically strong. Anselm proposed in the Proslogian that the existence of God was true for him by the virtue of faith and logical necessity. He proposed a reductio ad absurdum argument that aimed to demonstrate he impossibility of denying God’s existence. His first form of the argument runs as follows: (P1) God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived (P2) If God exists in the mind alone (in intellect) then a greater being can be conceived (in re) (P3) God to be the greatest being, has to existing the mind and in reality, otherwise another being would be greater than God.
Picard defends Data well by breaking down Dualism into physical and mental properties and then showing the court how these properties were as present in Data as they would be in any sentient being. Picard also demonstrates this by asking Maddox the definition of a sentient being, and after establishing the definition Picard asks Data what he is doing currently and what is at stake. When Data replies we see that he uses the words “I am” and “My”. With this Picard concludes that Data must be self-aware because he referred to himself in his statement. Self-awareness is a mental property which links to Dualism.
Whether that means it solely educates those who firmly believe in god that there are other views, or it converts a person to non religious views, it is a worthwhile read. Gould shows his view that god may have only created life, not control what it will inevitably do, that portion is left up to evolution and
Calvin’s idea of predestination suggests that some people are God’s ‘elect’ and that, after death, these ‘elect’ will join God in heaven. Believers in predestination claim that our actions, whether ‘elect’ or ‘damned’, are predestined or decided by God; meaning that we have very little, if any at all, free will in our decision making or actions. This theory of predestination often leads people to believe in a God ‘who favours some but not all of his creation’, which would be intrinsically linked to miracles in the sense that, regardless of what we do, God has already decided whether he will interact with the world or perform a miracle. Miracles, in this sense, are seen not as unsystematic breaches of natural law but rather as the eternal intention of God for the world. For this reason, people who agree with Calvin in believing in predestination often find it difficult to understand why miracles aren’t common occurrences.
However, although god can foresee all that is, was and will be, he still gave the angels freedom of choice. This freedom was not given as a reason to rebel or to create corrupt thoughts. It was to show how God love them that he did not want them worship him like robots. Their love and adoration for God was to be a willing love not a commanded one. These angels were supposed to be ministers to oversee Gods kingdom
Against this statement is that God did not create so many rules to stop us using our free will but to influence and set standards to use our free will for the morally good. A good God would not make so many rules and regulations, for if he had created a world as perfect as it has said to be, and then there would be no need for rules and regulations, unless the world was created imperfectly. If this were the case, then there would be a need for rules and regulations and a bridge for God to interact with the world and his creations. For the world was created imperfectly this allows God to justify what is right and wrong by setting down rules in the world. A good god would not punish his people God gives us rules and regulations as an act of love and concern for humanity as he wants to guide us to live our lives in a good way.
The Natural World God created the natural world through His word. This shows the nature of God as all powerful and His word as power. When God spoke, the universe and everything in it came into existence. This we know because the Bible is the word of God that it is not written by human knowledge, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Romans 1:20 says “that the creation has been seen and understood because of God’s invisible qualities, divine nature and His eternal power so that men may not have an excuse.” It, therefore, follows that God is seen through His creation.
Jefferson does acknowledge that there is a God or Creator that gave human beings the freedom of thought. However Romney is using his information unethical because he is once again use the word “we” and not