THEISM AND ATHEISM:JUSTIFIED BELIEF-DECISIONS FOR OR AGAINST THE CONCEPT OF GOD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2016.s21.325338Keywords:
Theism, Atheism, Belief, Belief-Decisions, Dennett, Harris, Sartre, Chalmers, Swinburne, PlantingaAbstract
In earnest, the debate between theism and atheism is related to the essence of God--the de renecessity of God,and not the mere in re existence of God. The de re necessity of God is an abstraction conjectured from the de dicto necessity for Godinferredfrom the contingency of the universe. As long as the universe exists, the de re necessity or essence of God will be debated. Causal necessity of the universe establishes the de dicto necessity for God, however, the attempt to stop the infinite regression or the chain of causation, postulates the de re necessity or noncontingent existence of God. Beliefs related to God are belief-decisions – decisions for or against the essence of God. Questions and concerns related to conscious life necessitate such beliefs. So the meaning of religious beliefs is not tied up with establishing the veracity of their truth, but with the relevance of the questions that make such beliefs necessary. While a good question can make millions think, a good answer can make millions debate its truth. When theists argue for the existence of God, theyargue for the existence of an existing being, and not for the existence of a non-existing being. However, if atheists argue the non-existence of God, then they cannot argue for the non-existence of an existing being, nor argue for the non-existence of a non-existing being. So what theists and atheists accept or reject is related to the existence or non-existence of a non-contingent being. However, an atheist is an atheist not because of the presence of theists, nor is a theist a theist because of the presence of atheists. Both theists and atheists address the same questions that necessitate decisions for or against the concept of God.
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