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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
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Gods Existence Essay
Almost everyone at some particular point in his or her life has challenged the existence of God.
This may happen for a number of reasons. For example he or she might have been at a point in their
life when their faith alone was just not enough for them to believe. Humans have a natural instinct to
find reasons for events that can’t be explained. For some, the existence of God may help
give them the answers they are looking for.
Philosophers spend a great deal of their time trying to prove or to disprove the existence of God.
One philosopher that confronted God’s existence was Anselm.
Anselm was the Archbishop of Canterbury and was a very influential philosopher between Augustine
and...show more content...
Because of this the fool can comprehend “something than which nothing greater can be
thought'; even though he doesn’t know that it exists.
After showing that even the fool agrees with the idea of God existing in the mind, Anselm moves
toward implementing the idea that God exists outside of the mind. Anyone can think of something
greater than a being which exists as an idea in the intellect. That is the actual existence of that being
for which there is no greater (Stumpf 373). As an example, one can think of an island which exists
only in his intellect. Since it is only in his intellect as an idea, he then can think of something greater.
That something greater would be the island actually existing. So, if something exists only in the
mind, like a yellow island, a greater something can be thought of, such as a real yellow island.
Therefore, if God is only present in the mind, it is possible to think of something greater. However, if
even a fool agrees with the statement, “that something than which nothing greater can
be though exists in the mind'; (Stumpf 373).
Therefore, this something, or God must exist in reality. This is because nothing greater can be
thought of other than God.
This theory or proof put forth by Anselm came under though
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Do God Exist ?
Thesis Statements 1. Because of man's ignorance and curiosity, arguments for the existence of God
have been made over the years. Basically, these arguments are divided into two large groups i.e.
logical and metaphysical. Actually, these arguments seek to prove that the existence of a being or
having faith with at least one attribute that only God could have is logically necessary. 2. Believing
and having faith in God will only resort to one thing–goodness. 3. Faith has something to do with
one's conception about God. 4. The existence of God remains a matter of faith since it's difficult to
"prove" God to someone who does not believe. 5. There are arguments that attempts to give
information of what they know about...show more content...
The analogy just doesn't work. Second, some say that the theories of the big bang and evolution
better explain the complexity in the universe. Third, some say that even if the teleological argument
is true, it does not prove the existence of the Christian God. 3. Ontological Argument
The third argument for God's existence is the ontological argument. This argument is unlike the
cosmological and teleological arguments in that it does not argue from evidence in the natural
world. Thus, it is not a "cause and effect" argument. The ontological argument can be stated in this
way: "God is the greatest being imaginable. One of the aspects of perfection or greatness is
existence. Thus, God exists." Or put another way–"The fact that God can be conceived means that he
must exist." This argument for God's existence was developed by the twelfth century theologian and
philosopher, Anselm. It is based on Anselm's declaration that God is "that which nothing greater can
be conceived." The ontological argument has been very controversial. Even many who believe in
God's existence question its validity. A contemporary of Anselm named Guanilo responded to
Anselm. Guanilo said that one could imagine a perfect island but that did not mean a perfect island
exists. Others have said you can imagine a unicorn but that does not mean unicorns exist. Thus,
many challenge the idea that
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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
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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
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Descartes Existence Of God Essay
The existence of God has been a question since the idea of God was conceived. Descartes tries to
prove Gods existence, to disprove his Evil demon theory, and to show that there is without a doubt
something external to ones own existence. He is looking for a definite certainty, a foundation for
which he can base all of his beliefs and know for a fact that they are true.
Descartes overall project is to find a definite certainty on which he can base all his knowledge and
beliefs. Afoundation that he will be able to prove without a doubt. To find a definite certainty he uses
a methodical doubt, this states that anything that could be doubted must be taken as false. This is
done to find an absolute certainty for...show more content...
From this definite foundation Descartes tries to prove that there is something external to the
mind. So he states the law of casualty. This basically says that nothing can be created from
nothing, and that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself. Then
if there is an idea in our minds that we didn't create, something else created it. If God is more
perfect than us, then we could not have created God but God created us. Descartes then wrote
about the idea of God. He said that God is infinite and could not have been created by us because
God is more perfect than us thus undoubtable and certain. The idea that God exists disproves the
Evil Genius theory therefore proves the existence of an external world.
Anslem and Descartes' theories both prove that there is a God and they both use some similar
ideas in their premises'. For instance, they both rely on the faith that there is an idea of God; he is
perfect and self evident. God could not have been conceived if there wasn't a God. Though,
Descartes says that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself, and
that we are less perfect than God therefore we could not have created God. So, this proves the
existence of God and an external world. On the other hand, Anslem says Existence is greater than
conception and nothing greater can be conceived then God.
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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,
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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
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Does God Really Exists? Essay
Does God Really Exists The idea of God has been one of the most debatable issues since the dawn
of humanity and with it guided as well as deluded most lives in the pursuit for the truth. The impacts
springing from the notion of God has from time memorial changed history, inspired more poetry and
music including philosophy more than anything else, imagined or real. Peter Kreft once concluded
that "The idea of God is either a fact, like sand, or a fantasy like Santa" (Lawhead, p. 334). Over the
cause of time, different arguments have surfaced within and without the philoshophical boundaries
in an attempt to either explain the reality of the non–existence of a God. A few of these claims include
the, cosmological argument, the teleological argument and the problem of evil. However, although
both arguments are insufficiently conclusive in their arguments about God, the cosmological
argument seems to speaker quite louder than the rest and thus forms the basis of this paper: it
generates the conclusion that God exists based on fundamental considerations about the cause of the
world and why there is something rather than nothing. To begin with, teleological argument posits
God's existence based on the appearance of design. The Cosmological and the teleological
arguments are both based on empirical or a posterior reasoning and have their roots deepened in
philosophy history. On the contrary, the problem of evils supports the argument that God does not
exist based on the presence
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The Design Argument for the Existence of God While theology may take God's existence as
absolutely necessary on the basis of authority, faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it
possible to demonstrate by reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known
as the argument from design quite simply states that a designer must exist since the universe and
living things display elements of design in their order, consistency, unity and pattern. The argument
says that things in the world move towards goals, just as the arrow does not move toward its goal
except by the archer's directing it. Consequently there must be an intelligent designer who directs all
things to their...show more content...
Many components of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this
happening by chance are astronomical. Criticisms against these are the principles of
self–organisation and evolution which provide complete explanations for apparent design and the
odds against all possible universes are equally astronomical, yet one of them must be the actual
universe. b, The idea that God exists and that he is the architect to serve the purpose that the
universe is designed proves subjective. Different observations in the natural world can produce
different theories to account for their existence. Also, the proof is built on analogy, thus if we find
there are things in the universe that are disordered, then by analogy, the would imply there is no
designer. Another thing wrong with the argument is that it is not obvious that the universe or
living things are intelligently designed. Science, such as physics and biology, can prove that not
everything that has a design is intelligently designed: "There cannot be design without a designer;
contrivance without a contriver ... The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must
have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person is GOD" (Paley). This
seems logical because objects, such as a watch or a computer, have a design and therefore somebody
had to design it.
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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,
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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
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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
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The Mystery of God's Existence Essay
The Mystery of God's Existence
The mystery of God's existence has been a crucial element of many religious studies and traditions.
Who is God? What is God? Where is God? To effectively discuss the existence of God, it is
necessary to illustrate the notion of faith. People of faith believe that God does exist, and that
relationship with God gives meaning to their lives. Others who are skeptical point to God as an
obsolete hope of an ignorant human race. People today live in a world distinguished by sophisticated
technology in which modern science has been a strong agent in questioning the existence of God.
Although many cannot articulate their reasons for believing in the existence of God, their faith is
nonetheless definite...show more content...
Furthermore, Aquinas asserted that there exists an Intelligent One who designs and directs all
things, and apart from whom the meaningful structure and ordered process of the universe would
not be possible. Peter L. Berger, a modern sociologist, approaches the existence of God by
suggesting empirical evidence from within an individual which he collectively refers to as Signals
of Transcendence. Berger points out that we, as individuals, have an inclination to call for ultimate
order; a trust that everything will be "alright." This, in itself, is a belief of something beyond
"natural" reality.
On the other hand, philosophers such as Ludwig Feuerbach contended that God was merely a
projection of our own nature to explain phenomenon. Karl Marx declared that religion was "the sigh
of the oppressed creature, the feeling of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless circumstances.
It is the opium of the people." Moreover, science has provided for a scientific framework to
explain questionable aspects of our lives; Copernicius discovered that the sun simply did not travel
around the earth, Isaac Newton's reflection on gravity explained many mysteries of the universe, and
Charles Darwin's evidence of evolution questioned the literal acceptance of the bible's creation story.
Science has forced believers to focus on God's apparent absence in the world. Consequently, many
theologians have moved away from religious presuppositions about God, shifting their
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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
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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
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Existence Of God Essays

  • 1. 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
  • 2. Gods Existence Essay Almost everyone at some particular point in his or her life has challenged the existence of God. This may happen for a number of reasons. For example he or she might have been at a point in their life when their faith alone was just not enough for them to believe. Humans have a natural instinct to find reasons for events that can’t be explained. For some, the existence of God may help give them the answers they are looking for. Philosophers spend a great deal of their time trying to prove or to disprove the existence of God. One philosopher that confronted God’s existence was Anselm. Anselm was the Archbishop of Canterbury and was a very influential philosopher between Augustine and...show more content... Because of this the fool can comprehend “something than which nothing greater can be thought'; even though he doesn’t know that it exists. After showing that even the fool agrees with the idea of God existing in the mind, Anselm moves toward implementing the idea that God exists outside of the mind. Anyone can think of something greater than a being which exists as an idea in the intellect. That is the actual existence of that being for which there is no greater (Stumpf 373). As an example, one can think of an island which exists only in his intellect. Since it is only in his intellect as an idea, he then can think of something greater. That something greater would be the island actually existing. So, if something exists only in the mind, like a yellow island, a greater something can be thought of, such as a real yellow island. Therefore, if God is only present in the mind, it is possible to think of something greater. However, if even a fool agrees with the statement, “that something than which nothing greater can be though exists in the mind'; (Stumpf 373). Therefore, this something, or God must exist in reality. This is because nothing greater can be thought of other than God. This theory or proof put forth by Anselm came under though Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. 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
  • 4. 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
  • 5. 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
  • 6. 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
  • 7. Do God Exist ? Thesis Statements 1. Because of man's ignorance and curiosity, arguments for the existence of God have been made over the years. Basically, these arguments are divided into two large groups i.e. logical and metaphysical. Actually, these arguments seek to prove that the existence of a being or having faith with at least one attribute that only God could have is logically necessary. 2. Believing and having faith in God will only resort to one thing–goodness. 3. Faith has something to do with one's conception about God. 4. The existence of God remains a matter of faith since it's difficult to "prove" God to someone who does not believe. 5. There are arguments that attempts to give information of what they know about...show more content... The analogy just doesn't work. Second, some say that the theories of the big bang and evolution better explain the complexity in the universe. Third, some say that even if the teleological argument is true, it does not prove the existence of the Christian God. 3. Ontological Argument The third argument for God's existence is the ontological argument. This argument is unlike the cosmological and teleological arguments in that it does not argue from evidence in the natural world. Thus, it is not a "cause and effect" argument. The ontological argument can be stated in this way: "God is the greatest being imaginable. One of the aspects of perfection or greatness is existence. Thus, God exists." Or put another way–"The fact that God can be conceived means that he must exist." This argument for God's existence was developed by the twelfth century theologian and philosopher, Anselm. It is based on Anselm's declaration that God is "that which nothing greater can be conceived." The ontological argument has been very controversial. Even many who believe in God's existence question its validity. A contemporary of Anselm named Guanilo responded to Anselm. Guanilo said that one could imagine a perfect island but that did not mean a perfect island exists. Others have said you can imagine a unicorn but that does not mean unicorns exist. Thus, many challenge the idea that Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. 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
  • 9. 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
  • 10. Descartes Existence Of God Essay The existence of God has been a question since the idea of God was conceived. Descartes tries to prove Gods existence, to disprove his Evil demon theory, and to show that there is without a doubt something external to ones own existence. He is looking for a definite certainty, a foundation for which he can base all of his beliefs and know for a fact that they are true. Descartes overall project is to find a definite certainty on which he can base all his knowledge and beliefs. Afoundation that he will be able to prove without a doubt. To find a definite certainty he uses a methodical doubt, this states that anything that could be doubted must be taken as false. This is done to find an absolute certainty for...show more content... From this definite foundation Descartes tries to prove that there is something external to the mind. So he states the law of casualty. This basically says that nothing can be created from nothing, and that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself. Then if there is an idea in our minds that we didn't create, something else created it. If God is more perfect than us, then we could not have created God but God created us. Descartes then wrote about the idea of God. He said that God is infinite and could not have been created by us because God is more perfect than us thus undoubtable and certain. The idea that God exists disproves the Evil Genius theory therefore proves the existence of an external world. Anslem and Descartes' theories both prove that there is a God and they both use some similar ideas in their premises'. For instance, they both rely on the faith that there is an idea of God; he is perfect and self evident. God could not have been conceived if there wasn't a God. Though, Descartes says that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself, and that we are less perfect than God therefore we could not have created God. So, this proves the existence of God and an external world. On the other hand, Anslem says Existence is greater than conception and nothing greater can be conceived then God. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. 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
  • 12. 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
  • 13. Does God Really Exists? Essay Does God Really Exists The idea of God has been one of the most debatable issues since the dawn of humanity and with it guided as well as deluded most lives in the pursuit for the truth. The impacts springing from the notion of God has from time memorial changed history, inspired more poetry and music including philosophy more than anything else, imagined or real. Peter Kreft once concluded that "The idea of God is either a fact, like sand, or a fantasy like Santa" (Lawhead, p. 334). Over the cause of time, different arguments have surfaced within and without the philoshophical boundaries in an attempt to either explain the reality of the non–existence of a God. A few of these claims include the, cosmological argument, the teleological argument and the problem of evil. However, although both arguments are insufficiently conclusive in their arguments about God, the cosmological argument seems to speaker quite louder than the rest and thus forms the basis of this paper: it generates the conclusion that God exists based on fundamental considerations about the cause of the world and why there is something rather than nothing. To begin with, teleological argument posits God's existence based on the appearance of design. The Cosmological and the teleological arguments are both based on empirical or a posterior reasoning and have their roots deepened in philosophy history. On the contrary, the problem of evils supports the argument that God does not exist based on the presence Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. The Design Argument for the Existence of God While theology may take God's existence as absolutely necessary on the basis of authority, faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it possible to demonstrate by reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known as the argument from design quite simply states that a designer must exist since the universe and living things display elements of design in their order, consistency, unity and pattern. The argument says that things in the world move towards goals, just as the arrow does not move toward its goal except by the archer's directing it. Consequently there must be an intelligent designer who directs all things to their...show more content... Many components of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this happening by chance are astronomical. Criticisms against these are the principles of self–organisation and evolution which provide complete explanations for apparent design and the odds against all possible universes are equally astronomical, yet one of them must be the actual universe. b, The idea that God exists and that he is the architect to serve the purpose that the universe is designed proves subjective. Different observations in the natural world can produce different theories to account for their existence. Also, the proof is built on analogy, thus if we find there are things in the universe that are disordered, then by analogy, the would imply there is no designer. Another thing wrong with the argument is that it is not obvious that the universe or living things are intelligently designed. Science, such as physics and biology, can prove that not everything that has a design is intelligently designed: "There cannot be design without a designer; contrivance without a contriver ... The marks of design are too strong to be got over. Design must have had a designer. That designer must have been a person. That person is GOD" (Paley). This seems logical because objects, such as a watch or a computer, have a design and therefore somebody had to design it. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. 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
  • 16. 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
  • 17. 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
  • 18. The Mystery of God's Existence Essay The Mystery of God's Existence The mystery of God's existence has been a crucial element of many religious studies and traditions. Who is God? What is God? Where is God? To effectively discuss the existence of God, it is necessary to illustrate the notion of faith. People of faith believe that God does exist, and that relationship with God gives meaning to their lives. Others who are skeptical point to God as an obsolete hope of an ignorant human race. People today live in a world distinguished by sophisticated technology in which modern science has been a strong agent in questioning the existence of God. Although many cannot articulate their reasons for believing in the existence of God, their faith is nonetheless definite...show more content... Furthermore, Aquinas asserted that there exists an Intelligent One who designs and directs all things, and apart from whom the meaningful structure and ordered process of the universe would not be possible. Peter L. Berger, a modern sociologist, approaches the existence of God by suggesting empirical evidence from within an individual which he collectively refers to as Signals of Transcendence. Berger points out that we, as individuals, have an inclination to call for ultimate order; a trust that everything will be "alright." This, in itself, is a belief of something beyond "natural" reality. On the other hand, philosophers such as Ludwig Feuerbach contended that God was merely a projection of our own nature to explain phenomenon. Karl Marx declared that religion was "the sigh of the oppressed creature, the feeling of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless circumstances. It is the opium of the people." Moreover, science has provided for a scientific framework to explain questionable aspects of our lives; Copernicius discovered that the sun simply did not travel around the earth, Isaac Newton's reflection on gravity explained many mysteries of the universe, and Charles Darwin's evidence of evolution questioned the literal acceptance of the bible's creation story. Science has forced believers to focus on God's apparent absence in the world. Consequently, many theologians have moved away from religious presuppositions about God, shifting their Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. 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
  • 20. 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