PHIL 763
Special Topic: Atheism and Naturalism
Please note: this is archived course information from 2014 for PHIL 763.
Description
The course will consider the following questions: What is atheism? What is naturalism? What has one doctrine to do with the other? Science is often said to presuppose naturalism; but is this correct? Does the scientific naturalistic stance support atheism?
These topics will be approached through a discussion of the following.
1) The various definitions of Atheism and Naturalism and whether or not science is intrinsically naturalistic. On some definitions of naturalism it might not be; but this need not support supernaturalism.
2) The Design argument for the existence of God and the challenge that the theory of evolution provides to it. If the challenge is successful then is there a need to postulate a God? Reading for this will be based on chapters 1 and 2 from the book by Elliott Sober Evidence and Evolution: The Logic behind the Science (Cambridge University Press 2008). Students will have to master some elementary probability reasoning in order to critically evaluate the arguments.
3) A new “design argument” is said to arise from modern physics, viz., the (alleged) fact that the universe is finely tuned for life. If so did it have a designer? We will discuss what “fine tuning’ means and try to discover what kind of argument is involved here. Again students will have to master some probabilistic reasoning and what counts as probabilistic fallacies. (Readings can be found in Neil Manson (ed.) God and Design, London Routledge, 2003)
4) Science can be said to turn the tables on religion; theories are being developed in evolutionary cognitive psychology which explain why we have religious beliefs. Such explanations are naturalistic in character and rival those explanations which invoke supernatural items. Which offers the better explanation – evolutionary cognitive psychology or traditional religious beliefs? We will assess the differing claims here. (Readings will be provided in class.)
5) Why is there something rather than nothing? One answer invokes God. But another response is to say that there is something bogus about the question and its presuppositions. Which is right? We will closely explore the arguments of Adolph Grunbaum in his ‘The Poverty of Theistic Cosmology’ (British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 55, 2004, pp561-614).
6) If there is time we might examine the claims of Alvin Plantinga that evolutionary naturalism is defective, as set out in the final chapter his recent book Where the Conflict Really Lies (Oxford University Press, 2011). (Critical evaluations of Plantinga’s argument include Chapter 2 (at least) of Alex Rosenberg, The Atheist’s Guide to Reality (Norton, New York, 2011); others will be given in class.)
A useful overview can be found in Colin Howson Objecting to God (Cambridge University Press 2011). However knowledge of probabilistic reasoning is required.
Availability 2014
Not taught in 2014
Lecturer(s)
Coordinator(s) Professor Robert Nola
Lecturer(s) Professor Robert Nola
Assessment
100%Coursework
1 x 6000 word Essay
Points
PHIL 763: 15 points
