Philosophy of Religion - 935 Words

The Cosmological argument argues for the existence of God a posteriori based on the apparent order in the universe. For Aristotle, the existence of the universe needs an explanation, a cause, as it could not have come from nothing. Nothing comes from nothing so since there is something, there must have been some other thing that is its cause. Aristotle rules out an infinite progression of causes, so, that led to the conclusion that there must be a First Cause. Likewise with motion, there must have been a first cause; Aristotle calls this the ‘Prime Mover’. There is a God, says Aristotle -for how else does motion begin? Whilst this argument does generally offer some support for the existence of God, it does not prove his existence. Aquinas†¦show more content†¦Thus, Hume claimed that it is not possible to prove the existence of a being who is unknowable and existentially different from all other beings. A further argument against the cosmological argument is presented by Anthony Kenny. According to his analysis, the cause of change must possess a property which will initiate the change. For example, for something to become hot, the thing that causes the change must itself possess the property of heat. But modern science rejects this argument, for instance, microwaves can generate heat without themselves being hot. Therefore, it is not foolhardy to argue that the universe exists and as a result of highly finely-tuned probabilities, from simple compounds to what we see today. But still, Descartes reconstruction of the argument seems to postulate that, the cause of change must possess a property which will initiate the change, which is in direct conflict with Kenny’s point. Yet, Aquinas says Kenny is not giving a straightforward metaphysical analysis, but an analysis which presumes a standard, and also doubtful physics. Overall, the cosmological argument, while making a good attempt to prove the existence of God is largely unsuccessful chiefly because it makes huge empirical assumptions. Firstly, it assumes that the world does, in fact, exist. And secondly, we cannot prove that a world exists on the basis of a posteriori premises, therefore cannot infer from it that it has a cause, andShow MoreRelatedReligion vs. Philosophy1222 Words   |  5 PagesReligion Term Paper Philosophy and Religion An Idea is more powerful than an army (pg 14, Munroe). When first looking at the relationship between philosophy and religion, I found it easier to explain the differences rather than the similarities. I began this paper the same way I do others. This generally involves a profound amount of research on the topic at hand. However, in contrast to the other papers I have done, the definitions of philosophy and religion only raised more questions forRead MoreThere Are Two Main Issues In The Philosophy Of Religion1618 Words   |  7 PagesThere are two main issues in the philosophy of religion that focus on the existence of God. First and foremost, there are four arguments that describes the philosophy of religion which are cosmological arguments, ontological arguments and teleological arguments. Cosmological idea are empirical a posteriori arguments based on experience and sense perception. Our experience of the world shows God as the cause, creator or ultimate explanation of the word. Ontological concept are rational a posterioriRead More The Philosophy Of Religion : Thomas Aquinas And Fredrich Nietzsche1364 Words   |  6 Pagesnorms. Religion has and always will be a hot subject because of this; However, philosophers have developed theories and guidelines to help people to realize what is most suitable, important, and critical in their spiritual lives. However, the Philosophy of Religion caters to everyone, not just believers. Today we will look at Thomas Aquinas and Fredrich Nietzsche and their takes on religion. To fully understand their viewpoints its important to first understand what the philosophy of religion entailsRead MoreDifferences Between Marx And Feuerbach s Conceptions Of The Relationship Between Philosophy And Religion1718 Words   |  7 PagesMarx’s and Feuerbach’s conceptions of the relationship between philosophy and religion, as well as the implications this has for their thoughts on religion, which brief discussion on the criticisms one could pose to these thinkers for their theories. What is important to note before we begin is that both of these thinkers are reacting to the Enlightenment era of Philosophy which is the idea of a rational and scientific approach to religion and the self. Kant defined the enlightenment as a move to autonomyRead MorePhilosophy And Philosophy Of Religion Essay1681 Words   |  7 PagesPhilosophy of religion is basically the philosophy with questions regarding the religion, the nature and the existence of god and also the religi ous vocabulary and texts followed by the people. The religious philosophy and philosophy of religion are very different from each other, in philosophy of religion we discuss the questions regarding the nature of religion as a whole rather than seeking the problems brought by a particular religious system. In philosophy of religion we discuss the questionRead MoreIs Buddhism A Philosophy Or A Religion?932 Words   |  4 Pages Is Buddhism a Philosophy Or a Religion? Joe Gilmore Mr. Porter 4-17-16 Buddhist teachings consist of teaching others how to end suffering in their own lives. Buddha teaches that if you follow an eightfold path, then you are moving toward reaching nirvana. This is the end of all suffering and the goal of all Buddhists. Though Buddhism is commonly labeled as a religion, it fits the definition of a philosophy rather than a religion. Buddhism’s founder was a man named SiddharthaRead MoreConfucianism : Religion Or Philosophy? Essay1074 Words   |  5 PagesConfucianism: Religion or Philosophy? Most ancient philosophical ideas developed in the ancient Chinese empires are believed to have their roots from Confucius. Confucianism was a simple way of life propagated by Confucius around the fifth and sixth century BC. Often perceived as a religion and other times as philosophy, it is conceivably best unspoken as a comprehensive humanism that neither slights nor denies heaven. The Chinese populaces have devotedly observed Confucianism for nearly two millenniaRead More Philosophy and Religion Essay791 Words   |  4 Pages The many religions of the world exhibit a large amount of different beliefs and philosophies. Some believe in many gods, some believe in just one god and yet there are those that believe in no god. One of the things that I agree with is that you can not love anything else unless you first learn to love and respect yourself. I also think that after one?s physical body is deceased, you become reincarnated. And lastly, I don?t recognize one god or overall being, but rather follow the example made byRead MoreBuddhism : The Philosophy And Religion1426 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism originated 2,500 years ago in India and today – is the prevailing world religion in the East. There are more than 360 million followers of Buddhism, including one million American followers. Buddhism has branched into a diverse selection of forms throughout its long history, however, all methods of Buddhism share an admiration for the teachings of Buddha with the ultimate focus on ending suffering (Religionfacts.com, 2015). In the 6th century BC, Siddhartha or Gautama Buddha was born inRead MoreConfucianism : Religion, Religions, Ideologies, And Philosophies1564 Words   |  7 Pagesmany beliefs, religions, ideologies and philosophies have risen and declined thorough out humanity. These religions have their origins, a set of beliefs, a follower-ship, religious or important texts, a spread of the religion, views on women, dietary habits, holidays and like any thing else it has critiques. These are all important aspect when talking about a religion. Religions describe societies and set moral standard of those people who choose to follow said religion. These religions are a good historical