(August 17, 2013 at 2:02 pm)pshun2404 Wrote: Hi, I am new here and agnostic, and was looking for an intelligent answer (or non-answer)....
I do not know one way or the other whether or not there is a god but I noticed in my studies of Philosophy that it is a huge topic producing around 15 or so arguments demonstrating the probability for, and yet none that I could find actually negating the probability. Can you help direct me to philosophical studies that demonstrate there cannot be a god(s) or designer (I know the one is not necessary argument and am not looking for a barrage of insults)...I see many people make the blanket claim that there is none, so please show me some arguments, factual basis, or direct me to accepted philosophers who I may read on this subject.
Thanks
I did a philosophy unit last semester at uni which was called "God and Religion". The main text was called "Knowledge of God", which is set up as a debate between Plantinga and Tooley. I'd highly recommend it as it's crystal clear to see who has "the upper hand" in the issues discussed.
My take on it was that the majority of Plantinga's positive arguments for theism relied on him presumably having non-inferentially justified evidence i.e. a religious experience. As a consequence, *none* of those arguments can be taken seriously for the very simple fact that the Hindu/Muslim/Zoroastrian next to him will claim just as fervently that *their* god(s) have appeared to them.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" ~ Aristotle