God and the Enlightenment Mr. Bach Accelerated World History

Does God Exist?  Religious Experience Argument –Based on faith or direct experience with God.  Miracles Argument –the existence of events that seem to contradict probability or the laws of the physical world  But can reason be used to prove the existence of God?

Deductive Reasoning  If a series of premises are known to be true.....  Then the conclusion must be true  Example: –Da Bears are the only NFL team that have an orange C on their helmets. –Brian Urlacher is an NFL football player. –Brian Urlacher wears a helmet with an orange C. –Therefore, Brian Urlacher plays for da Bears.

Inductive Reasoning  A series of premises most likely are true...  So the conclusion is most likely true.  Example: –All birds I see have wings –Wings allow birds to fly –Therefore, all birds can fly.

Proof of God – Moral Argument  Human beings have developed moral codes over time.  The development of moral codes suggest that man has a conscience.  So where did this conscience come from?

Proof of God – Cosmological Argument  The universe had a beginning (Big Bang).  What was the cause of the Big Bang? –Prime Mover Argument or First Cause  Newton’s First Law of Motion –An object will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force

Proof of God – Teleological Argument  The universe and the human body is so complex (and so fragile). –This complexity and fragility could not have developed through chance.

Proof of God – Ontological Argument  Relies alone on human reasoning – no evidence.  Definition – God is a perfect entity.

Ontological Argument  God exists in our minds (we can conceive of a God).  It is possible that a God exists in reality.  If God only exists in our understanding, then it is possible for God to be greater than He is (contradiction of our definition of God).  It is, therefore, false for God only to exist in our minds.  Therefore, God must possess reality.

Deism – A “Religion of the Enlightenment”  Existence operates on a series of rational laws established by God. –These laws could be discerned through human reasoning (a gift from God).  Since God is rational being, human reasoning could be used to understand God. –No need for organized religion or mysticism.