SlideShare une entreprise Scribd logo
1  sur  20
Télécharger pour lire hors ligne
Existence Of God Research Paper
SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To persuade my audience to believe the probable existence of God.
ATTENTION GETTER: A new Harris Poll finds that a strong majority (74%) of Americans believe
in God.
RELEVANCE: I believe God's existence is relevant to all demographics of people, because "God"
applies to all beliefs, races, cultures, etc.
CREDIBILITY: Along with my extensive research on this, I am also a confirmed Roman Catholic,
which may make me a bit biased but nonetheless I have been had plenty of resources throughout my
18 years to determine whether or not there is a God.
CENTRAL IDEA: God's existence can be determined by 3 different arguments, including the
Cosmological argument, the Teleological argument, and the Moral Law argument.
TRANSITION: However,...show more content...
This argument is basically a cause and effect argument. It goes like this: the world could not have
just existed by itself so there must have been something that brought the world into existence. The
first cause is God.
In other words, the universe did not just magically appear from nothing because God created it.
TRANSITION: My next argument is called the Teleological argument.
MAINPOINT2: Otherwise known as the "design" argument.
The basic idea of this argument is that there is too much intricate detail in the universe for it to not
have a creator.
According to the City University of New York, William Paley, a theist, had a famous argument
called the "watch" argument. It goes by this: a watch has many complex parts in order to keep time,
too complex to be made randomly, thus it must have a creator. This is like the universe.
TRANSITION: My third and final argument is called the Moral Law argument.
MAINPOINT3: The Moral Law argument differs from the other two arguments because it has
nothing to do with the natural world.
The Moral Law basically says that all humans have morals because there is a
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence Of God Essay
The Existence of God
The existence of a God has for generations been the topic of fierce debate. This most usually
occurring between members of the religious society and, everybody else. As a matter of fact the
religious world itself has not always been able to agree on God. This has resulted in many a holy
man to take up the fight for his deity through the realm of words. Many theories have been proposed,
and all think that theirs proves beyond a doubt on whether or not God exists. To write this paper I
read four of those theories by assorted men of the cloth, who all attempt to make the argument for a
God in the Christian sense.
The first of the theories I looked at was that...show more content...
The second argument he makes says that there are many things that happen in this world, and they
are effects derived from a cause. The effects in turn can be the cause of something else and so on
and so on. Yet nothing can be the cause of itself, so therefore there must be a first efficient cause,
that sets off other intermediate causes, in hopes of reaching a ultimate goal. Therefore the first of all
the efficient causes would be God.
The third argument Aquinas uses is that of possibility and necessity.
This argues that everything in this world has possibility to be and not to be.
So if there is the possibility that everything at one time or another cannot–be, then at one time there
was nothing, because everything that could've been wasn't.
Yet if there was nothing at one time, then there was nothing that could be, and so there would still
be nothing. Therefore there had to be something that existed to cause all the possibilities of
everything else. But to be necessary something has to have something else cause it's necessity, which
has something else causing it's, ect. This as with everything else stated before cannot go on
indefinitely, so there has to be a beginning which would be God.
The fourth argument says that there is a gradation of everything, and that at the top of every
gradation there is a maximum of the
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Does God Exist? Essay
Proof Of The Exsistence of God Either God exists or He doesn't. There is no middle ground. Any
attempt to remain neutral in relation to God's existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief.
The question for God's existence is really important. Does God exist? Theology, cosmological,
teleological and ontological arguments are all have ways to prove the existence of God. With all of
these great arguments how can one deny that there is a God. There is a God and with these reasons
I will prove that.
There are two types of theology discussed in chapter nine of Kessler "Voices of
Wisdom," revealed and natural theology. Revealed theology comes from such sources as the Bible
and according to St. Thomas Aquinas...show more content...
Cosmological arguments were started at the time the questions of the universe were first asked. The
existence of motion to the existence of a first mover as the cause of movement, was argued by
Aristotle. This first mover he called God. The reason for this was that nothing caused God to move
yet God was responsible for the motion of all other things. Thisargument is based on presumptions in
other cosmological arguments. The first was that something could not cause itself, second something
cannot come from nothing, last there could not possibly be an infinite amount of cause and effects.
St. Thomas' view was of God is an infinite, all–good, all–knowing, all powerful, perfect being who
created the universe and now has sole command over it. This view is known as theism. St.
Thomas states that a first cause must be in order to have cause and effect now. For if we take
away the first cause there would be no effect following there for the universe would have never
been created which is impossible because we can prove the universe does exist. He also argues that
there are things in the universe that have the possibility of existing and not existing, we have seen
things that have existed and than destroyed, thus proving that there is the ability of being and not
being. There was a time when
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence Of God : God
The existence of God has been in question for as long as mankind has existed and thought
logically. Many questions have plagued the human mind in regards to God, and there have been
many arguments drawn with the hopes of proving the existence of a supreme being whom we
know as God. The "God" question has been presented to every individual at some point in their
lives. It is a topic that will bring forth never–ending questions and an equal amount of attempted
answers. Many philosophers have formulated different rationales when examining the topic of God,
some of which include how the word itself should be defined, what his role is in human existence,
whether or not he loves us, and ultimately, if he even exists at all. Mankind cannot...show more
content...
Anselm in this case defines God as "a being than which nothing greater can be conceived"
(Anselm 30). Ontological arguments tend to be a priori, which is an argument that utilizes
thoughts as opposed to empirical evidence to prove validity. Anselm addresses the Atheist fool in
an attempt to disprove him "since the fool has said in his heart, There is no God?"(Anselm, 30).
Anselm stressed that it is obligatory to recognize God as a perfect being that cannot be improved
upon, and if someone understands the concept of God, then God exists in that person's
understanding. It is greater to exist in reality than just simply the understanding. The fool
understands the concept of God. Therefore the fool has God in his understanding. Suppose God
exists only in the understanding of the fool and not in reality. We could then think of something
exactly as it existed in the fools understanding but it can also exist in reality, and the being we
conceived of would be greater than the being that exists in the fools understanding. Therefore God
exists not only in the understanding of the fool but also in reality. By showing that God exists in
reality as well as in the understanding, we see that it is imperative that we should believe in God
and that it is indeed reasonable.
A cosmological argument focuses on the notion of causation and that everything in the universe
including us must have an initial cause, for nothing comes from nothing. Thomas
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay on Discussion of the Existence of God
Discussion of the Existence of God
There is a lot of argument about does God exist or not exist. It was long time every person wanted
to prove the existence of God. Some people argued that God exist and proved by many
philosophical theories or scientific basics and religion reasons. On the other hand, other people do
not believe in God existence and they have based their proven by many theories and scientific points.
Many people have tried to prove God's existence with rational argument. Like Aquinas, Abelard,
Pascal, Anselm and Paley are a few that have attempted this. These approaches are of limited
helpfulness, for though we can approach God with our reason and detect him in nature. More...show
more content...
These confirmation might be summarized under two heads: firstly the confirmation from the
expansion of the universe and the secondly the confirmation from thermodynamic properties of the
universe.
The first confirmation is about the theory of the Big Bang (Big Bloom) is that once, all the matter in
the universe was concentrated into an incredibly dense mass. It was said too much smaller than the
eye of a needle for some unknown reason, 15000 million years ago it began expanding. The Big
Bang theory is the Dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe, According to the Big
Bang; the universe was created some time between 15–20 billion years ago.
The second confirmation of the beginning of the universe is based on the thermodynamic
properties of various cosmological models. According to the second laws of thermodynamic,
process talking place in a closed system always tend toward s a state of equilibrium. The universe
will reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, known as the heat death of the universe. The
universe will expand forever or eventually re–contract.
Many people have come to the point in their lives where they have serious doubt about God, or
have already denied his existence. Most of those people do not do so because firmly held
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Reflection Paper On The Existence Of God
I grew up in a relatively religious family, however while I attended Catholic school, my family
allowed me to form my own opinions and never forced me to think a certain way. In Catholic
school I took religion class and we primarily learned about the history of Catholicism. There was
never much debate or discussion about the existence of God. My teacher quickly shut down any
questions that even remotely question the core beliefs of Catholicism. Without a sound explanation
for why I should belief and also probably because of recent social trends I was skeptical of God's
existence.
However, this year I learned about several logical arguments in that support and against the existence
of God. I have come to the conclusion that there is something greater than people, which created or
prompted the creation of the universe. Something must have prompted the start of the universe and
created life. Despite the fact that I am not confident that there is caring or intervening God, I believe
that God exists. Plantinga's, Richard Swinburne's, and Thomas Aquinas' arguments convinced me to
be more open and less skeptical in God's existence.
Like theism, atheism is a belief that is not certain. Atheists can propose theories with logical
reasoning but they do not know for a fact that God does not exist. Plantinga's argument from analogy
explains that people cannot know for certain that other minds exist and similarly people cannot
know that God exists. But despite the lack of proof, people
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence Of God Essay
The Existence of God
Works Cited Not Included
For centuries, the idea of God has been a part of man's history. Past and present, there has always
been a different integration consisting of the believers and the non–believers of God. The group of
those who have "faith" in
God tend to be related to one religion or another. On the other hand, the skeptics find the existence of
God somewhat puzzling and try to seek the answers through scientific methods. Even as of today
with all the modern technologies and the development of sciences, we still do not have a definitive
answer to the question "does God exist?"
Among many philosophers and scholars who have tried to answer this question, we shall look upon
Rene Descartes' theory on...show more content...
In his earlier Meditations, he claims that God may be a deceiver; he, however, concludes later that
God is a non–deceiver because an act of deceit would be an attribute of moral imperfection.
According to Descartes, this idea of a supremely intelligent and supremely powerful being, who
created everything that exists, can not and does not come from within him who is imperfect.
Moreover, this perception did not originate from the experiences of the world, nor was this drawn
from the senses. Rather, he believes that this perception of God is prior to his own perception, and it
could only actually arise from a perfect being. Thus Descartes concludes the only remaining option to
be that this perception was innate in him.
If we assume that God is perfect, then we may wonder why human beings, a creation of God, are
created imperfect and liable to make mistakes? Since an imperfect creation was made by God,
doesn't this mean that he is imperfect? Yet,
Descartes claims that God gave humans no faculty for making mistakes, and we are constituted as a
mediator between God and nothingness. The reasoning behind the justifications made by Descartes
is related to "free will." Descartes states that the faculty of judgement is not infinite in human beings;
human error is not dependent upon God but is rather a mere defect. On the other hand,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay on The Proof of the Existence of God
The Proof of the Existence of God
There are many arguments that try to prove the existence of God. In this essay I will look at the
ontological argument, the cosmological argument, empirical arguments such as the avoidance of
error and the argument from design. There are many criticisms of each of these that would say the
existence of God can't be proven that are perhaps stronger than those saying it can be. The
definition of God for which is being argued is the Christian God who has the qualities of being
perfect and who created the universe.
The ontological argument follows that God id perfect and no greater being is imaginable. If God
did not exist, he would not be the greatest being...show more content...
Descartes argues that the definition of property is an attribute, something that the entity
possesses (Ayer. A.J. 1973). God posses the property of existence. The ontological argument
argues that God's existence is necessary and an inseparable quality of the perfect being just like
180o is inseparable from a triangle. But another more logical way of looking at this is that the
concept of existence is inseparable from the concept of the Supreme Being. It doesn't follow that
existence is actual in the real world (At VII99; CSM 1172, as cited in Cottingham. J. 1986).
Another example used to try and support the existence of God can be proven is Super Pegasus. A
horse has the property of existence. Pegasus is a winged horse, and Super Pegasus is a winged
horse with the property of existence. But looking at this closely it forms a catch 22 situation on
itself. As if Super Pegasus existed then there would be no such thing as Pegasus. But Super
Pegasus can't exist without the idea of Pegasus first. Also, another argument which I will look at
in more detail later is that everything has a cause and is caused by something which is equal or
greater than it. If this were the case then even the idea Super Pegasus would need to be formed
from an idea of something equal to or greater than it, which Pegasus is not. This example leads on
to the 'overload objection'. That is that if existence is a
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence Of God Essay
The existence of God has long been a topic of debate. It is the ultimate topic of discussion, as
everyone seems to have an opinion on it. I will look at the traditional arguments for the existence of
God, the ones that have stood the test of time, and find out how convincing the arguments really are
by looking at each one in turn, analysing the logic behind each argument, and finally looking at its
criticisms and the responses to the criticisms.
The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more
commonly known as the "First Cause" argument. It is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th
century philosopher. The basic premise is that for the Universe to exist, something must have caused
it to...show more content...
According to Russell, there is no reason why it needs a cause to come into existence. Similarly,
there is no reason why it couldn't have existed eternally: Aquinas uses the fallacy of moral
dilemma to offer us no other selection of choices. This is not a formal fallacy, as you can see
below, but an informal fallacy originating in premise #3. There is also question over the other 2
premises:
1.There is a first cause of the Universe
2.The first cause must be eternal
3.God is the only eternal being
_________________________________
4.The first cause is God
It has also not been proven that something that comes into being needs a cause, as nothing that we
know of has ever come into existence, merely changed from one state into another, therefore the
Universe does not need a first cause. Following the First Cause argument, Russell also asked the
question: if God made the Universe, who made God?
Anybody responding to these criticisms will say that God does not need a creator because he
caused everything else and is eternal. Aquinas described God as "the necessary being" and "the
immovable mover". According to him, God is the only thing that has no beginning or end. His
argument is entirely dependent on his own belief in his premises.
Another popular argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument, more commonly
known as the Design
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay on Arguments for the Existence for God
1. The Cosmological Argument for the existence of God is based on the principle of cause and
effect. What this basically means is that the universe was the effect of a cause, which was God. One
of the oldest and most well known advocates of the Cosmological Argument was Thomas Aquinas
who outlines his argument for the existence of God in his article entitled The Five Ways. The first
way in his argument is deals with motion. Aquinas says that in order for something to be in motion
something had to move it because it is impossible for something to move without the presence of
some sort of outside force upon it. Therefore the world around us, nature, and our very existence
could not have been put into motion without the influence of the...show more content...
Clarke and Rowe are two of the later type. Clarke believed that the universe was a series of events
and that each of these events are dependent upon the event before it. So as you work your way
backwards down the chain you get to an independent event that started the whole series who Clarke
said is God. In Rowe's argument he says that there has to be PSR (principle of sufficient reason) in
order to prove anything including God. Which means there has to be enough evidence and proof that
a thing or God exists. In my understanding of the Cosmological Argument I would have to say that
I agree the most with Clarke's explanation. Not only is it short and sweet but it almost takes
Aquinas' argument and folds it up and puts it in its pocket. I think believe it is much clearer for
anyone to see and admit that everything that happens in this world is connected and caused by
previous events and decisions. Due to this anyone can go back to the story of Adam and Eve and
ask themselves the question of what caused these two? It is at this point where one is forced to
admit that there is an "unmoved mover", an independent being, and an uncaused cause who is called
God.
3. Out of all three arguments for the existence only one of them is based on an a priori knowledge
and it is the Ontological Argument. This argument is based on the knowledge that God does
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Persuasive Essay : Existence Of God
Persuasive Essay: Existence of God The debate on the existence of a god has been a popular topic
among philosophers. Thomas Aquinas, a famous Italian philosopher, provided a set of arguments
that he believed proved the existence of a god, who brought the world into existence. These
arguments provide a sound reasoning behind the existence of god upon the basis that there are a
series of events and these events are somehow caused into being. Aquinas explains this uncaused
first cause to be god. The first proof he makes in order to prove the existence of God, is in regard
to the motion of the world. Aquinas observes that everything in the world changes and that,
"everything that changes is made to change by something else," (Perry pg. 44). This statement is
often refuted by the view that there may be an infinite chain of change that has been going on
forever. In refutation to this, it can be said that we would not be able to account for the change
/motion that we see in the world if there was an infinite amount of causation. If you trace back the
causes of motion to their causes of motion and so on, you can relate it to looking at a line
segment labeled from A to B. If you did this with the causes of objects you would find an infinite
amount of causes and you would never get to A but you know A exists because there is a line
segment. If there was not a first cause or starting point then we would not be able to account for the
motion that we see around us. Some may make the
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The question of the existence of God has troubled mankind for thousands of years. Many
philosophers and theologians have always searched for prove whether God exists. Many of them
constructed valid arguments which support theist believes. The existence of God was once never
denied, as His presence, His existence was evident in miracles and the people 's faith. But time and
the advancement of modern science have called God and His very nature into question. The Perfect
Being has become the source of much doubt and controversy. The faithful, believing people have
become unsure. It seems that we will never find the answer to this question, but I think that we
should take a look at one of the most famous arguments that prove the existence of God: Ontological
Argument. It was made in the eleventh century by Anselm who was one of the most important
Christian thinkers of his time. He proved that God exists by relying only on a priori reasoning. We
do not need any physical evidence of God to prove that he exist. We can prove it just by our ability
to thinking about it.
.Relevant theories
Ontological Argument is one of many arguments that was constructed to prove the existence of God.
This question has been around for a very long time, so there are lots of argument about this topic.
Some of them are good, some of them are not. But, I would like to focus on Cosmological Argument
and Argument from Contingency.
Cosmological argument
This argument was constructed by Aquinas to prove
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay on The Existence of God
In answering questions regarding God, the argument from evil is a very peculiar argument. Most of
the arguments we deal with will try to prove the existence of god. This argument on the other hand
attempts to do the opposite and I really stress on the word attempt. Another reason why I say it is
peculiar is because it is not just one argument, but rather a series of three arguments. In my opinion,
this argument is quite weak and does not prove what it was intended to prove but rather it does the
opposite. I would say that it somewhat opens doors to prove the existence of God. Throughout this
essay, my goal is not to prove to you that God exists or doesn't exist, but my goal here today is to
provide you with some criticism towards this...show more content...
So if a being posses these three basic qualities at its maximum or to infinity, then that being must
definitely be God.
One may wonder what evil is and as I mentioned before, evil is broken into two groups. One may
also wonder weather evil even exists, but I will go over that later on. So with that aside, evil are the
wrong that are brought into existence by human actions, and this is suffering that human beings
inflict on each other. The other evil is the evil that exist because of natural events that are not under
human control. This may be in the form of a natural disaster such as a plague or an earthquake.
Now by knowing what God and evil is, I will assure you that you will get a better understanding of
what the argument really means. More or less, the argument states that if there was a God, He
must be all PKG (powerful, knowing, and good) and by being all PKG, then there would be no
evil in the world. It then goes on saying that yes! evil does exist. If you were to look at the world
anywhere, you would find at least one of the evils. So since evil exists, according to the argument,
then there is no God. Here we find the use of a valid argument. It has the following skeleton (1) If
T, then P (2) Not P (3) Not T So any argument which uses this same format is completely valid.
In the argument it claims that since evil exists, then God does not
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay about The Existence of God
The Existence of God
"No one can think the opposite of that which is self evident…But the opposite of the
proposition "God Exists" can be thought…therefore the proposition that God existence is self
evident."( Thomas Aquinas) Some people may say that God is an omnipotent, omniscient being that
the universe revolves around. In other words, God is all–powerful, all knowing, and runs the
universe, but the mere claim, to prove Gods existence, seems to invite ridicule. The people who
ridicule are not always right. They are the people who laugh first and think later. Before modern
technology and scientific innovations were discovered, world–renowned doctors and scientists in the
past laughed at every new...show more content...
He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back
and buys that field." The topic that concerns me in religious philosophy is, can the existence of God
be revealed or can He be proved by other people's arguments. The arguments for the existence of
God divide into two main groups, a priori and posteriori arguments. A priori argument depends on
no premises and a posteriori argument is based on premises that can know by experiences of life and
the universe. Philosophers for centuries have questioned and have tried to prove the existence of a
God. The two philosophers that come to my mind are Saint Thomas Aquinas and William Paley.
Both of these philosophers are alike in the fact that they both argued a posteriori arguments. Out of
both of their arguments, Thomas Aquinas's argument was categorized as cosmological. This type of
argument begins with a posteriori assumptions that a great, spirtitual being exists and something
other than the plain existence of the being is supposed to explain it. The second philosopher,
William Paley's argument was theological. A theological argument for the existence of God begins
with a premise that the world demonstrates intelligent purpose and goes forward to the conclusion
that there must be or there may be a supreme being with a divine intelligence. Even though, Thomas
Aquinas and William Paley both agree that God exists, and while their
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence Of God : An Argument
The Existence of God
The philosophical arguments presented in this document are not of religious text, nor scientific
observation or established fact. Rather the premise of this God proof is bring together and share the
various theories on which other God proofs have established foundations. I have heard it quoted that
"Philosophy goes where hard science can 't, or won 't. Philosophers have a license to." Therefore,
with this in mind, I attest that it is more than problematic to construct an argument authenticating the
unequivocal proof of the existence God. If nothing else this may be food for thought.
I begin with the constructs of Anselm. The ontological, or a priori, argument was first expressed in
1070 by Anselm. He argued that because we have a notion of an all–perfect being "that than which
nothing greater can be conceived" – It must be God. Anselm regarded God as a being one who
enjoys all conceivable perfection. Yet if God "existed" only as an idea in our awareness, then God
would be less perfect than if He in fact existed. Therefore God had to be greater than what our finite
minds have ability to conceive so as not to contradict the definition of God.
As I progressed to ascertain the process of the early philosophers, Descartes was almost satisficingly
Heuristic to me. However, in holding to his Catholic beliefs, Descartes, without a doubt believed in
the existence of God. In the beginning of his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes writes
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
The Existence of God Essay
The Existence of God
What we call religious experience can differ greatly. Some reports exist of supernatural happenings
that it would be difficult to explain from a rational, scientific point of view. On the other hand, there
also exist the sorts of testimonies that simply seem to convey a feeling or a peace of oneness–
something which most of us, religious or not, may possibly relate to.
Firstly, I will consider the nature of an experience. Experience involves encounters which are
empirical (testable via senses). We draw non– empirical conclusions about many things and people–
that they have orange hair and are 5 feet tall, that they are lonely and confused. These conclusions are
mainly...show more content...
This is known through testimonies of the recipients of these experiences.
In categorising religious experiences is helpful to look at them as explicable through one of two
theories: the objectivist thesis or the subjectivist thesis.
The objectivist view supposes that there is some object or actual entity– such as god– which exists
independently of the experience, interaction which causes the experience itself. God is described as
numinous. This is a term often used to describe the experience in which God's separateness is
highlighted. This was put forward by Rudolf Otto in his book The Idea of the Holy. Otto religion
sprang from experience of the holly. Because the word numinous has many associations he used
numen, something which is wholly other than the natural world
An objectivist would argue that the religious experience is a proof of God's existence. However,
others have criticised the reliability of religious experiences. The English philosopher Thomas
Hobbes asked how it was possible to tell the differences between talking to God in a dream, and
dreaming about talking to God. The objectivist thesis is ultimately the most traditional viewpoint
since it views God as 'object'– that is, something which exists independently of us (such as a table or
another person). However,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Religion and the Existence of God Essay
Religion and the Existence of God
The existence of God has been questioned since the beginning of time. Religions thrived on
answering the unanswerable questions of the universe and people were able to find solace in the
answers. As science has expanded and been able to answer these questions with natural, as opposed
to supernatural answers, many people stopped looking to God and religion for the causes of things
and started looking towards science. God was dead, according to many scientists and people of all
professions. Many philosophers, however, have different conclusions. In the article, "Science Finds
God" (Newsweek 1998) it was recognized that although theologians and scientists differ sharply in
their views and do not...show more content...
To actually move a thing must be moved by another thing that is actually in motion. Therefore
that thing must have been moved by another. However this cannot go on infinitely. There must be
something that is the first unmoved mover that causes all movement. This being, in a state of
pure actuality, is what people call God. An example of this is a stone is moved by a stick. The
stick is moved by a hand. The stick moved from a state of potential movement to actual movement
by the hand. In order to move the stick the hand must move from potential to actual by something
else. What moves the hand must be also be moved by another because nothing can be moving both
potentially and actually at the same time. Whatever was the original cause of all movement must
be pure actual movement. This being is the unmoved first mover, God. Aquinas's fifth proof relates
more directly to "Science Finds God." This article states that the complexity of the natural world is
more evidence that God must exist. Thomas says that there is some pure act of intelligence that
causes all other acts of intelligence. As an archer shoots an arrow towards its target, God aims
everything to its ultimate end. Everything is ordered towards an end and that end is determined by
a being we call God. Using empirical sciences, it is evident that everything has its purpose and
functions for
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay on The Existence Of God
The Three Most Popular Arguments For The Existence Of God
The Ontological Argument
One of the most important attempts to demonstrate the existence of God is the ontological argument
of Saint Anselm, an 11th–century theologian. Anselm's argument maintains that God, defined as the
greatest being that can be conceived, must exist, since a being that does not exist would by virtue of
that fact lack an attribute that contributes to its greatness. Critics have questioned, however, whether
existence actually contributes to a being's greatness.
The Cosmological Argument
Another important attempt to provide a rational justification for the existence of God is the
cosmological argument, also called the argument from first cause. Aquinas and...show more content...
Although contemporary theists, such as American philosopher WilliamLane Craig, maintain that a
first cause is necessary to explain the big bang, critics contend that recent scientific theories indicate
that the universe could have arisen spontaneously.
The Teleological Argument
According to the teleological argument for the existence of God–also known as the argument from
design–the universe is like a machine. The best–known supporter of this view is 18th–century
theologian William Paley. According to this theory, because machines are created by intelligent
beings, and because the universe may be thought of as a single, highly complex machine, it is likely
that the universe was created by a great intelligence, understood to be God. The classic critique of
this argument, presented by 18th–century Scottish philosopher David Hume, maintains that the
analogy to a machine is weak and that other analogies are just as strong. For instance, the universe
may be thought of as a living organism, in which case the universe would have been created by
reproduction rather than by design.
Which argument do I agree with?
I think that the ontological argument is not really making an argument for the existence of God,
but is really playing with the fact that it is impossible for humanity to define a being we are not sure
exists. Therefore, if you go by his definition God does exist. However, how do we define God? Is
God the greatest being or is he simply the creator of the
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Essay about An Argument for the Existence of God
An Argument for the Existence of God
God can be defined as a being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler
of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions (1). There are
many people that do not believe in any religion. People who do not believe in a religion have no
reason for believing in a God. People who do not believe in a God and argue against the existence
of God are proving something that is completely false. There is a God for numerous reasons.
This paper's purpose is to prove the existence of God. There are ten main reasons that are presented
in this paper that show the actuality of God. It also shows counter–arguments to the competing
positions (the...show more content...
For such answers, science relies on the values of personal beliefs of those who use it. Science
itself offers no moral guidance or values to govern our lives. All science can do is show us how
natural law works, while telling us nothing about its origins.
Some have assumed that an evolutionary explanation of life would make God fiction. This
overlooks some problems. Even if we assume that scientists will someday find enough ?missing
links? to confirm that life appeared and developed gradually over great periods of time, unsolved
theories would still show the need for a creator. As a result, many scientists who believe in
evolution also believe that the universe in all of its immensity and complexity did not ?just
happen.? Many feel compelled to acknowledge the possibility or even likelihood of an intelligent
designer (God) who provided the ingredients for life and set in motion the laws by which it
developed.
The next two passages are both taken from the Bible. They focus on how humanity has denied the
existence of God only to prove to itself that there is and always will be a God. The two passages
are, ?Mankind has been described as incurably religious. In unguarded moments of trouble or
surprise, in prayer or in profanity, references to deity persist. Those who would dismiss such
thoughts as bad habits or social vices are left with unanswerable questions. Denying the existence of
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
Persuasive Essay On The Existence Of God
In our ever conscience society, the idea of God has become a highly tried and tested controversy
between the believer and the non. Faith is no longer the matter of blind reliance like it has often
described as.The debates over the existence of the Christian God have reached and pressed limits
in our current society more ravenously than they have ever before in history. The all too well
known statement of doubt is summed up in the simple phrase: " How can you serve a God you
can't even prove exists?" While God cannot be put in a test tube or out on display in a museum, his
existence can be archaeologically proven.The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that he is the
Almighty God.
The existence of Jesus Christ is often a topic questioned in itself. The surprising aspect of this
question is not the lack of evidence, but rather the amount of supporting evidence. Flavius Josephus
was a Roman senator, orator and ethnographer (55/56–c. 118 C.E.), who is considered the best of
Roman historians. In one of his greatest works, Jewish Antiquities, Josephus mentions Jesus the
Messiah when describing the execution of James. "Being therefore this kind of person [i.e., a
heartless Sadducee], Ananus, thinking that he had a favorable opportunity because Festus had died
and Albinus was still on his way, called a meeting [literally, "sanhedrin"] of judges and brought into
it the brother of Jesus–who–is–called–Messiah ... James by name, and some others. He made the
accusation that they had
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Contenu connexe

Dernier

Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
kauryashika82
 
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
heathfieldcps1
 
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please PractiseSpellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
AnaAcapella
 

Dernier (20)

Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
 
Spatium Project Simulation student brief
Spatium Project Simulation student briefSpatium Project Simulation student brief
Spatium Project Simulation student brief
 
PROCESS RECORDING FORMAT.docx
PROCESS      RECORDING        FORMAT.docxPROCESS      RECORDING        FORMAT.docx
PROCESS RECORDING FORMAT.docx
 
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptxICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
 
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in DelhiRussian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
Russian Escort Service in Delhi 11k Hotel Foreigner Russian Call Girls in Delhi
 
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptxSKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
 
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Understanding  Accommodations and ModificationsUnderstanding  Accommodations and Modifications
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
 
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
 
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin ClassesMixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
 
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
ComPTIA Overview | Comptia Security+ Book SY0-701
 
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan FellowsOn National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
 
Asian American Pacific Islander Month DDSD 2024.pptx
Asian American Pacific Islander Month DDSD 2024.pptxAsian American Pacific Islander Month DDSD 2024.pptx
Asian American Pacific Islander Month DDSD 2024.pptx
 
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
 
Accessible Digital Futures project (20/03/2024)
Accessible Digital Futures project (20/03/2024)Accessible Digital Futures project (20/03/2024)
Accessible Digital Futures project (20/03/2024)
 
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
 
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
 
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please PractiseSpellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
Spellings Wk 3 English CAPS CARES Please Practise
 
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
 

En vedette

How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthHow Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
ThinkNow
 
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie InsightsSocial Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Kurio // The Social Media Age(ncy)
 

En vedette (20)

2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
2024 State of Marketing Report – by Hubspot
 
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPTEverything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
Everything You Need To Know About ChatGPT
 
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsProduct Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage Engineerings
 
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthHow Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental Health
 
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfAI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdf
 
Skeleton Culture Code
Skeleton Culture CodeSkeleton Culture Code
Skeleton Culture Code
 
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024
 
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)
 
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024
 
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie InsightsSocial Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
Social Media Marketing Trends 2024 // The Global Indie Insights
 
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024
 
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summary
 
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd
 
Getting into the tech field. what next
Getting into the tech field. what next Getting into the tech field. what next
Getting into the tech field. what next
 
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search IntentGoogle's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search Intent
 
How to have difficult conversations
How to have difficult conversations How to have difficult conversations
How to have difficult conversations
 
Introduction to Data Science
Introduction to Data ScienceIntroduction to Data Science
Introduction to Data Science
 
Time Management & Productivity - Best Practices
Time Management & Productivity -  Best PracticesTime Management & Productivity -  Best Practices
Time Management & Productivity - Best Practices
 
The six step guide to practical project management
The six step guide to practical project managementThe six step guide to practical project management
The six step guide to practical project management
 
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
 

Essay On The Existence Of God

  • 1. Existence Of God Research Paper SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To persuade my audience to believe the probable existence of God. ATTENTION GETTER: A new Harris Poll finds that a strong majority (74%) of Americans believe in God. RELEVANCE: I believe God's existence is relevant to all demographics of people, because "God" applies to all beliefs, races, cultures, etc. CREDIBILITY: Along with my extensive research on this, I am also a confirmed Roman Catholic, which may make me a bit biased but nonetheless I have been had plenty of resources throughout my 18 years to determine whether or not there is a God. CENTRAL IDEA: God's existence can be determined by 3 different arguments, including the Cosmological argument, the Teleological argument, and the Moral Law argument. TRANSITION: However,...show more content... This argument is basically a cause and effect argument. It goes like this: the world could not have just existed by itself so there must have been something that brought the world into existence. The first cause is God. In other words, the universe did not just magically appear from nothing because God created it. TRANSITION: My next argument is called the Teleological argument. MAINPOINT2: Otherwise known as the "design" argument. The basic idea of this argument is that there is too much intricate detail in the universe for it to not have a creator. According to the City University of New York, William Paley, a theist, had a famous argument called the "watch" argument. It goes by this: a watch has many complex parts in order to keep time, too complex to be made randomly, thus it must have a creator. This is like the universe. TRANSITION: My third and final argument is called the Moral Law argument. MAINPOINT3: The Moral Law argument differs from the other two arguments because it has nothing to do with the natural world. The Moral Law basically says that all humans have morals because there is a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. The Existence Of God Essay The Existence of God The existence of a God has for generations been the topic of fierce debate. This most usually occurring between members of the religious society and, everybody else. As a matter of fact the religious world itself has not always been able to agree on God. This has resulted in many a holy man to take up the fight for his deity through the realm of words. Many theories have been proposed, and all think that theirs proves beyond a doubt on whether or not God exists. To write this paper I read four of those theories by assorted men of the cloth, who all attempt to make the argument for a God in the Christian sense. The first of the theories I looked at was that...show more content... The second argument he makes says that there are many things that happen in this world, and they are effects derived from a cause. The effects in turn can be the cause of something else and so on and so on. Yet nothing can be the cause of itself, so therefore there must be a first efficient cause, that sets off other intermediate causes, in hopes of reaching a ultimate goal. Therefore the first of all the efficient causes would be God. The third argument Aquinas uses is that of possibility and necessity. This argues that everything in this world has possibility to be and not to be. So if there is the possibility that everything at one time or another cannot–be, then at one time there was nothing, because everything that could've been wasn't. Yet if there was nothing at one time, then there was nothing that could be, and so there would still be nothing. Therefore there had to be something that existed to cause all the possibilities of everything else. But to be necessary something has to have something else cause it's necessity, which has something else causing it's, ect. This as with everything else stated before cannot go on indefinitely, so there has to be a beginning which would be God. The fourth argument says that there is a gradation of everything, and that at the top of every gradation there is a maximum of the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Does God Exist? Essay Proof Of The Exsistence of God Either God exists or He doesn't. There is no middle ground. Any attempt to remain neutral in relation to God's existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief. The question for God's existence is really important. Does God exist? Theology, cosmological, teleological and ontological arguments are all have ways to prove the existence of God. With all of these great arguments how can one deny that there is a God. There is a God and with these reasons I will prove that. There are two types of theology discussed in chapter nine of Kessler "Voices of Wisdom," revealed and natural theology. Revealed theology comes from such sources as the Bible and according to St. Thomas Aquinas...show more content... Cosmological arguments were started at the time the questions of the universe were first asked. The existence of motion to the existence of a first mover as the cause of movement, was argued by Aristotle. This first mover he called God. The reason for this was that nothing caused God to move yet God was responsible for the motion of all other things. Thisargument is based on presumptions in other cosmological arguments. The first was that something could not cause itself, second something cannot come from nothing, last there could not possibly be an infinite amount of cause and effects. St. Thomas' view was of God is an infinite, all–good, all–knowing, all powerful, perfect being who created the universe and now has sole command over it. This view is known as theism. St. Thomas states that a first cause must be in order to have cause and effect now. For if we take away the first cause there would be no effect following there for the universe would have never been created which is impossible because we can prove the universe does exist. He also argues that there are things in the universe that have the possibility of existing and not existing, we have seen things that have existed and than destroyed, thus proving that there is the ability of being and not being. There was a time when Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. The Existence Of God : God The existence of God has been in question for as long as mankind has existed and thought logically. Many questions have plagued the human mind in regards to God, and there have been many arguments drawn with the hopes of proving the existence of a supreme being whom we know as God. The "God" question has been presented to every individual at some point in their lives. It is a topic that will bring forth never–ending questions and an equal amount of attempted answers. Many philosophers have formulated different rationales when examining the topic of God, some of which include how the word itself should be defined, what his role is in human existence, whether or not he loves us, and ultimately, if he even exists at all. Mankind cannot...show more content... Anselm in this case defines God as "a being than which nothing greater can be conceived" (Anselm 30). Ontological arguments tend to be a priori, which is an argument that utilizes thoughts as opposed to empirical evidence to prove validity. Anselm addresses the Atheist fool in an attempt to disprove him "since the fool has said in his heart, There is no God?"(Anselm, 30). Anselm stressed that it is obligatory to recognize God as a perfect being that cannot be improved upon, and if someone understands the concept of God, then God exists in that person's understanding. It is greater to exist in reality than just simply the understanding. The fool understands the concept of God. Therefore the fool has God in his understanding. Suppose God exists only in the understanding of the fool and not in reality. We could then think of something exactly as it existed in the fools understanding but it can also exist in reality, and the being we conceived of would be greater than the being that exists in the fools understanding. Therefore God exists not only in the understanding of the fool but also in reality. By showing that God exists in reality as well as in the understanding, we see that it is imperative that we should believe in God and that it is indeed reasonable. A cosmological argument focuses on the notion of causation and that everything in the universe including us must have an initial cause, for nothing comes from nothing. Thomas Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Essay on Discussion of the Existence of God Discussion of the Existence of God There is a lot of argument about does God exist or not exist. It was long time every person wanted to prove the existence of God. Some people argued that God exist and proved by many philosophical theories or scientific basics and religion reasons. On the other hand, other people do not believe in God existence and they have based their proven by many theories and scientific points. Many people have tried to prove God's existence with rational argument. Like Aquinas, Abelard, Pascal, Anselm and Paley are a few that have attempted this. These approaches are of limited helpfulness, for though we can approach God with our reason and detect him in nature. More...show more content... These confirmation might be summarized under two heads: firstly the confirmation from the expansion of the universe and the secondly the confirmation from thermodynamic properties of the universe. The first confirmation is about the theory of the Big Bang (Big Bloom) is that once, all the matter in the universe was concentrated into an incredibly dense mass. It was said too much smaller than the eye of a needle for some unknown reason, 15000 million years ago it began expanding. The Big Bang theory is the Dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe, According to the Big Bang; the universe was created some time between 15–20 billion years ago. The second confirmation of the beginning of the universe is based on the thermodynamic properties of various cosmological models. According to the second laws of thermodynamic, process talking place in a closed system always tend toward s a state of equilibrium. The universe will reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, known as the heat death of the universe. The universe will expand forever or eventually re–contract. Many people have come to the point in their lives where they have serious doubt about God, or have already denied his existence. Most of those people do not do so because firmly held Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Reflection Paper On The Existence Of God I grew up in a relatively religious family, however while I attended Catholic school, my family allowed me to form my own opinions and never forced me to think a certain way. In Catholic school I took religion class and we primarily learned about the history of Catholicism. There was never much debate or discussion about the existence of God. My teacher quickly shut down any questions that even remotely question the core beliefs of Catholicism. Without a sound explanation for why I should belief and also probably because of recent social trends I was skeptical of God's existence. However, this year I learned about several logical arguments in that support and against the existence of God. I have come to the conclusion that there is something greater than people, which created or prompted the creation of the universe. Something must have prompted the start of the universe and created life. Despite the fact that I am not confident that there is caring or intervening God, I believe that God exists. Plantinga's, Richard Swinburne's, and Thomas Aquinas' arguments convinced me to be more open and less skeptical in God's existence. Like theism, atheism is a belief that is not certain. Atheists can propose theories with logical reasoning but they do not know for a fact that God does not exist. Plantinga's argument from analogy explains that people cannot know for certain that other minds exist and similarly people cannot know that God exists. But despite the lack of proof, people Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. The Existence Of God Essay The Existence of God Works Cited Not Included For centuries, the idea of God has been a part of man's history. Past and present, there has always been a different integration consisting of the believers and the non–believers of God. The group of those who have "faith" in God tend to be related to one religion or another. On the other hand, the skeptics find the existence of God somewhat puzzling and try to seek the answers through scientific methods. Even as of today with all the modern technologies and the development of sciences, we still do not have a definitive answer to the question "does God exist?" Among many philosophers and scholars who have tried to answer this question, we shall look upon Rene Descartes' theory on...show more content... In his earlier Meditations, he claims that God may be a deceiver; he, however, concludes later that God is a non–deceiver because an act of deceit would be an attribute of moral imperfection. According to Descartes, this idea of a supremely intelligent and supremely powerful being, who created everything that exists, can not and does not come from within him who is imperfect. Moreover, this perception did not originate from the experiences of the world, nor was this drawn from the senses. Rather, he believes that this perception of God is prior to his own perception, and it could only actually arise from a perfect being. Thus Descartes concludes the only remaining option to be that this perception was innate in him. If we assume that God is perfect, then we may wonder why human beings, a creation of God, are created imperfect and liable to make mistakes? Since an imperfect creation was made by God, doesn't this mean that he is imperfect? Yet, Descartes claims that God gave humans no faculty for making mistakes, and we are constituted as a mediator between God and nothingness. The reasoning behind the justifications made by Descartes is related to "free will." Descartes states that the faculty of judgement is not infinite in human beings; human error is not dependent upon God but is rather a mere defect. On the other hand, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Essay on The Proof of the Existence of God The Proof of the Existence of God There are many arguments that try to prove the existence of God. In this essay I will look at the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, empirical arguments such as the avoidance of error and the argument from design. There are many criticisms of each of these that would say the existence of God can't be proven that are perhaps stronger than those saying it can be. The definition of God for which is being argued is the Christian God who has the qualities of being perfect and who created the universe. The ontological argument follows that God id perfect and no greater being is imaginable. If God did not exist, he would not be the greatest being...show more content... Descartes argues that the definition of property is an attribute, something that the entity possesses (Ayer. A.J. 1973). God posses the property of existence. The ontological argument argues that God's existence is necessary and an inseparable quality of the perfect being just like 180o is inseparable from a triangle. But another more logical way of looking at this is that the concept of existence is inseparable from the concept of the Supreme Being. It doesn't follow that existence is actual in the real world (At VII99; CSM 1172, as cited in Cottingham. J. 1986). Another example used to try and support the existence of God can be proven is Super Pegasus. A horse has the property of existence. Pegasus is a winged horse, and Super Pegasus is a winged horse with the property of existence. But looking at this closely it forms a catch 22 situation on itself. As if Super Pegasus existed then there would be no such thing as Pegasus. But Super Pegasus can't exist without the idea of Pegasus first. Also, another argument which I will look at in more detail later is that everything has a cause and is caused by something which is equal or greater than it. If this were the case then even the idea Super Pegasus would need to be formed from an idea of something equal to or greater than it, which Pegasus is not. This example leads on to the 'overload objection'. That is that if existence is a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. The Existence Of God Essay The existence of God has long been a topic of debate. It is the ultimate topic of discussion, as everyone seems to have an opinion on it. I will look at the traditional arguments for the existence of God, the ones that have stood the test of time, and find out how convincing the arguments really are by looking at each one in turn, analysing the logic behind each argument, and finally looking at its criticisms and the responses to the criticisms. The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more commonly known as the "First Cause" argument. It is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher. The basic premise is that for the Universe to exist, something must have caused it to...show more content... According to Russell, there is no reason why it needs a cause to come into existence. Similarly, there is no reason why it couldn't have existed eternally: Aquinas uses the fallacy of moral dilemma to offer us no other selection of choices. This is not a formal fallacy, as you can see below, but an informal fallacy originating in premise #3. There is also question over the other 2 premises: 1.There is a first cause of the Universe 2.The first cause must be eternal 3.God is the only eternal being _________________________________ 4.The first cause is God It has also not been proven that something that comes into being needs a cause, as nothing that we know of has ever come into existence, merely changed from one state into another, therefore the Universe does not need a first cause. Following the First Cause argument, Russell also asked the question: if God made the Universe, who made God? Anybody responding to these criticisms will say that God does not need a creator because he caused everything else and is eternal. Aquinas described God as "the necessary being" and "the immovable mover". According to him, God is the only thing that has no beginning or end. His argument is entirely dependent on his own belief in his premises. Another popular argument for the existence of God is the teleological argument, more commonly known as the Design Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Essay on Arguments for the Existence for God 1. The Cosmological Argument for the existence of God is based on the principle of cause and effect. What this basically means is that the universe was the effect of a cause, which was God. One of the oldest and most well known advocates of the Cosmological Argument was Thomas Aquinas who outlines his argument for the existence of God in his article entitled The Five Ways. The first way in his argument is deals with motion. Aquinas says that in order for something to be in motion something had to move it because it is impossible for something to move without the presence of some sort of outside force upon it. Therefore the world around us, nature, and our very existence could not have been put into motion without the influence of the...show more content... Clarke and Rowe are two of the later type. Clarke believed that the universe was a series of events and that each of these events are dependent upon the event before it. So as you work your way backwards down the chain you get to an independent event that started the whole series who Clarke said is God. In Rowe's argument he says that there has to be PSR (principle of sufficient reason) in order to prove anything including God. Which means there has to be enough evidence and proof that a thing or God exists. In my understanding of the Cosmological Argument I would have to say that I agree the most with Clarke's explanation. Not only is it short and sweet but it almost takes Aquinas' argument and folds it up and puts it in its pocket. I think believe it is much clearer for anyone to see and admit that everything that happens in this world is connected and caused by previous events and decisions. Due to this anyone can go back to the story of Adam and Eve and ask themselves the question of what caused these two? It is at this point where one is forced to admit that there is an "unmoved mover", an independent being, and an uncaused cause who is called God. 3. Out of all three arguments for the existence only one of them is based on an a priori knowledge and it is the Ontological Argument. This argument is based on the knowledge that God does Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Persuasive Essay : Existence Of God Persuasive Essay: Existence of God The debate on the existence of a god has been a popular topic among philosophers. Thomas Aquinas, a famous Italian philosopher, provided a set of arguments that he believed proved the existence of a god, who brought the world into existence. These arguments provide a sound reasoning behind the existence of god upon the basis that there are a series of events and these events are somehow caused into being. Aquinas explains this uncaused first cause to be god. The first proof he makes in order to prove the existence of God, is in regard to the motion of the world. Aquinas observes that everything in the world changes and that, "everything that changes is made to change by something else," (Perry pg. 44). This statement is often refuted by the view that there may be an infinite chain of change that has been going on forever. In refutation to this, it can be said that we would not be able to account for the change /motion that we see in the world if there was an infinite amount of causation. If you trace back the causes of motion to their causes of motion and so on, you can relate it to looking at a line segment labeled from A to B. If you did this with the causes of objects you would find an infinite amount of causes and you would never get to A but you know A exists because there is a line segment. If there was not a first cause or starting point then we would not be able to account for the motion that we see around us. Some may make the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. The question of the existence of God has troubled mankind for thousands of years. Many philosophers and theologians have always searched for prove whether God exists. Many of them constructed valid arguments which support theist believes. The existence of God was once never denied, as His presence, His existence was evident in miracles and the people 's faith. But time and the advancement of modern science have called God and His very nature into question. The Perfect Being has become the source of much doubt and controversy. The faithful, believing people have become unsure. It seems that we will never find the answer to this question, but I think that we should take a look at one of the most famous arguments that prove the existence of God: Ontological Argument. It was made in the eleventh century by Anselm who was one of the most important Christian thinkers of his time. He proved that God exists by relying only on a priori reasoning. We do not need any physical evidence of God to prove that he exist. We can prove it just by our ability to thinking about it. .Relevant theories Ontological Argument is one of many arguments that was constructed to prove the existence of God. This question has been around for a very long time, so there are lots of argument about this topic. Some of them are good, some of them are not. But, I would like to focus on Cosmological Argument and Argument from Contingency. Cosmological argument This argument was constructed by Aquinas to prove Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Essay on The Existence of God In answering questions regarding God, the argument from evil is a very peculiar argument. Most of the arguments we deal with will try to prove the existence of god. This argument on the other hand attempts to do the opposite and I really stress on the word attempt. Another reason why I say it is peculiar is because it is not just one argument, but rather a series of three arguments. In my opinion, this argument is quite weak and does not prove what it was intended to prove but rather it does the opposite. I would say that it somewhat opens doors to prove the existence of God. Throughout this essay, my goal is not to prove to you that God exists or doesn't exist, but my goal here today is to provide you with some criticism towards this...show more content... So if a being posses these three basic qualities at its maximum or to infinity, then that being must definitely be God. One may wonder what evil is and as I mentioned before, evil is broken into two groups. One may also wonder weather evil even exists, but I will go over that later on. So with that aside, evil are the wrong that are brought into existence by human actions, and this is suffering that human beings inflict on each other. The other evil is the evil that exist because of natural events that are not under human control. This may be in the form of a natural disaster such as a plague or an earthquake. Now by knowing what God and evil is, I will assure you that you will get a better understanding of what the argument really means. More or less, the argument states that if there was a God, He must be all PKG (powerful, knowing, and good) and by being all PKG, then there would be no evil in the world. It then goes on saying that yes! evil does exist. If you were to look at the world anywhere, you would find at least one of the evils. So since evil exists, according to the argument, then there is no God. Here we find the use of a valid argument. It has the following skeleton (1) If T, then P (2) Not P (3) Not T So any argument which uses this same format is completely valid. In the argument it claims that since evil exists, then God does not Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Essay about The Existence of God The Existence of God "No one can think the opposite of that which is self evident…But the opposite of the proposition "God Exists" can be thought…therefore the proposition that God existence is self evident."( Thomas Aquinas) Some people may say that God is an omnipotent, omniscient being that the universe revolves around. In other words, God is all–powerful, all knowing, and runs the universe, but the mere claim, to prove Gods existence, seems to invite ridicule. The people who ridicule are not always right. They are the people who laugh first and think later. Before modern technology and scientific innovations were discovered, world–renowned doctors and scientists in the past laughed at every new...show more content... He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field." The topic that concerns me in religious philosophy is, can the existence of God be revealed or can He be proved by other people's arguments. The arguments for the existence of God divide into two main groups, a priori and posteriori arguments. A priori argument depends on no premises and a posteriori argument is based on premises that can know by experiences of life and the universe. Philosophers for centuries have questioned and have tried to prove the existence of a God. The two philosophers that come to my mind are Saint Thomas Aquinas and William Paley. Both of these philosophers are alike in the fact that they both argued a posteriori arguments. Out of both of their arguments, Thomas Aquinas's argument was categorized as cosmological. This type of argument begins with a posteriori assumptions that a great, spirtitual being exists and something other than the plain existence of the being is supposed to explain it. The second philosopher, William Paley's argument was theological. A theological argument for the existence of God begins with a premise that the world demonstrates intelligent purpose and goes forward to the conclusion that there must be or there may be a supreme being with a divine intelligence. Even though, Thomas Aquinas and William Paley both agree that God exists, and while their Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. The Existence Of God : An Argument The Existence of God The philosophical arguments presented in this document are not of religious text, nor scientific observation or established fact. Rather the premise of this God proof is bring together and share the various theories on which other God proofs have established foundations. I have heard it quoted that "Philosophy goes where hard science can 't, or won 't. Philosophers have a license to." Therefore, with this in mind, I attest that it is more than problematic to construct an argument authenticating the unequivocal proof of the existence God. If nothing else this may be food for thought. I begin with the constructs of Anselm. The ontological, or a priori, argument was first expressed in 1070 by Anselm. He argued that because we have a notion of an all–perfect being "that than which nothing greater can be conceived" – It must be God. Anselm regarded God as a being one who enjoys all conceivable perfection. Yet if God "existed" only as an idea in our awareness, then God would be less perfect than if He in fact existed. Therefore God had to be greater than what our finite minds have ability to conceive so as not to contradict the definition of God. As I progressed to ascertain the process of the early philosophers, Descartes was almost satisficingly Heuristic to me. However, in holding to his Catholic beliefs, Descartes, without a doubt believed in the existence of God. In the beginning of his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes writes Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. The Existence of God Essay The Existence of God What we call religious experience can differ greatly. Some reports exist of supernatural happenings that it would be difficult to explain from a rational, scientific point of view. On the other hand, there also exist the sorts of testimonies that simply seem to convey a feeling or a peace of oneness– something which most of us, religious or not, may possibly relate to. Firstly, I will consider the nature of an experience. Experience involves encounters which are empirical (testable via senses). We draw non– empirical conclusions about many things and people– that they have orange hair and are 5 feet tall, that they are lonely and confused. These conclusions are mainly...show more content... This is known through testimonies of the recipients of these experiences. In categorising religious experiences is helpful to look at them as explicable through one of two theories: the objectivist thesis or the subjectivist thesis. The objectivist view supposes that there is some object or actual entity– such as god– which exists independently of the experience, interaction which causes the experience itself. God is described as numinous. This is a term often used to describe the experience in which God's separateness is highlighted. This was put forward by Rudolf Otto in his book The Idea of the Holy. Otto religion sprang from experience of the holly. Because the word numinous has many associations he used numen, something which is wholly other than the natural world An objectivist would argue that the religious experience is a proof of God's existence. However, others have criticised the reliability of religious experiences. The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes asked how it was possible to tell the differences between talking to God in a dream, and dreaming about talking to God. The objectivist thesis is ultimately the most traditional viewpoint since it views God as 'object'– that is, something which exists independently of us (such as a table or another person). However, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Religion and the Existence of God Essay Religion and the Existence of God The existence of God has been questioned since the beginning of time. Religions thrived on answering the unanswerable questions of the universe and people were able to find solace in the answers. As science has expanded and been able to answer these questions with natural, as opposed to supernatural answers, many people stopped looking to God and religion for the causes of things and started looking towards science. God was dead, according to many scientists and people of all professions. Many philosophers, however, have different conclusions. In the article, "Science Finds God" (Newsweek 1998) it was recognized that although theologians and scientists differ sharply in their views and do not...show more content... To actually move a thing must be moved by another thing that is actually in motion. Therefore that thing must have been moved by another. However this cannot go on infinitely. There must be something that is the first unmoved mover that causes all movement. This being, in a state of pure actuality, is what people call God. An example of this is a stone is moved by a stick. The stick is moved by a hand. The stick moved from a state of potential movement to actual movement by the hand. In order to move the stick the hand must move from potential to actual by something else. What moves the hand must be also be moved by another because nothing can be moving both potentially and actually at the same time. Whatever was the original cause of all movement must be pure actual movement. This being is the unmoved first mover, God. Aquinas's fifth proof relates more directly to "Science Finds God." This article states that the complexity of the natural world is more evidence that God must exist. Thomas says that there is some pure act of intelligence that causes all other acts of intelligence. As an archer shoots an arrow towards its target, God aims everything to its ultimate end. Everything is ordered towards an end and that end is determined by a being we call God. Using empirical sciences, it is evident that everything has its purpose and functions for Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Essay on The Existence Of God The Three Most Popular Arguments For The Existence Of God The Ontological Argument One of the most important attempts to demonstrate the existence of God is the ontological argument of Saint Anselm, an 11th–century theologian. Anselm's argument maintains that God, defined as the greatest being that can be conceived, must exist, since a being that does not exist would by virtue of that fact lack an attribute that contributes to its greatness. Critics have questioned, however, whether existence actually contributes to a being's greatness. The Cosmological Argument Another important attempt to provide a rational justification for the existence of God is the cosmological argument, also called the argument from first cause. Aquinas and...show more content... Although contemporary theists, such as American philosopher WilliamLane Craig, maintain that a first cause is necessary to explain the big bang, critics contend that recent scientific theories indicate that the universe could have arisen spontaneously. The Teleological Argument According to the teleological argument for the existence of God–also known as the argument from design–the universe is like a machine. The best–known supporter of this view is 18th–century theologian William Paley. According to this theory, because machines are created by intelligent beings, and because the universe may be thought of as a single, highly complex machine, it is likely that the universe was created by a great intelligence, understood to be God. The classic critique of this argument, presented by 18th–century Scottish philosopher David Hume, maintains that the analogy to a machine is weak and that other analogies are just as strong. For instance, the universe may be thought of as a living organism, in which case the universe would have been created by reproduction rather than by design. Which argument do I agree with? I think that the ontological argument is not really making an argument for the existence of God, but is really playing with the fact that it is impossible for humanity to define a being we are not sure exists. Therefore, if you go by his definition God does exist. However, how do we define God? Is God the greatest being or is he simply the creator of the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Essay about An Argument for the Existence of God An Argument for the Existence of God God can be defined as a being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions (1). There are many people that do not believe in any religion. People who do not believe in a religion have no reason for believing in a God. People who do not believe in a God and argue against the existence of God are proving something that is completely false. There is a God for numerous reasons. This paper's purpose is to prove the existence of God. There are ten main reasons that are presented in this paper that show the actuality of God. It also shows counter–arguments to the competing positions (the...show more content... For such answers, science relies on the values of personal beliefs of those who use it. Science itself offers no moral guidance or values to govern our lives. All science can do is show us how natural law works, while telling us nothing about its origins. Some have assumed that an evolutionary explanation of life would make God fiction. This overlooks some problems. Even if we assume that scientists will someday find enough ?missing links? to confirm that life appeared and developed gradually over great periods of time, unsolved theories would still show the need for a creator. As a result, many scientists who believe in evolution also believe that the universe in all of its immensity and complexity did not ?just happen.? Many feel compelled to acknowledge the possibility or even likelihood of an intelligent designer (God) who provided the ingredients for life and set in motion the laws by which it developed. The next two passages are both taken from the Bible. They focus on how humanity has denied the existence of God only to prove to itself that there is and always will be a God. The two passages are, ?Mankind has been described as incurably religious. In unguarded moments of trouble or surprise, in prayer or in profanity, references to deity persist. Those who would dismiss such thoughts as bad habits or social vices are left with unanswerable questions. Denying the existence of Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. Persuasive Essay On The Existence Of God In our ever conscience society, the idea of God has become a highly tried and tested controversy between the believer and the non. Faith is no longer the matter of blind reliance like it has often described as.The debates over the existence of the Christian God have reached and pressed limits in our current society more ravenously than they have ever before in history. The all too well known statement of doubt is summed up in the simple phrase: " How can you serve a God you can't even prove exists?" While God cannot be put in a test tube or out on display in a museum, his existence can be archaeologically proven.The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates that he is the Almighty God. The existence of Jesus Christ is often a topic questioned in itself. The surprising aspect of this question is not the lack of evidence, but rather the amount of supporting evidence. Flavius Josephus was a Roman senator, orator and ethnographer (55/56–c. 118 C.E.), who is considered the best of Roman historians. In one of his greatest works, Jewish Antiquities, Josephus mentions Jesus the Messiah when describing the execution of James. "Being therefore this kind of person [i.e., a heartless Sadducee], Ananus, thinking that he had a favorable opportunity because Festus had died and Albinus was still on his way, called a meeting [literally, "sanhedrin"] of judges and brought into it the brother of Jesus–who–is–called–Messiah ... James by name, and some others. He made the accusation that they had Get more content on HelpWriting.net