What are the main arguments in the philosophy of religion for and against theism? Philosophy of religion for Theism

Several religious figures and philosophers have tried to explain the existence of God; this has resulted in several arguments. Muslim and Jewish scholars and philosophies have contributed immensely in providing proofs for existence of God, religion and philosophy and so did Pluto and Aristotle. There are several arguments for the existence of God. Some of the philosophical arguments supporting theism are stated below;

Ontological Argument: This argument is based upon abstract reasoning. This argument suggests that God is supreme power and is perfect being and there is no other way around.

Miracle Argument: This argument of miracle supports the concept of God, His existence and truth of Christianity and resurrection of Jesus. If Bible and Jesus are to be believed then the miraculous history that Christianity and Islam contain is to be believed as well.

Religious Experience Argument: This argument supports one’s personal experiences which confirm the existence of God. The belief is God is there, therefore; the experiences are experienced. There are several living examples to confirm this argument.

Pascal’s Wager Argument: This argument suggests that existence of God is based upon appeal of self- interest. The idea supports that it is right to have faith in God and think and accept that He is the one and supreme power belongs to Him. The supporters of this argument say that God exists and belief in Him will reward them with heaven or they will suffer in hell in after life.

Cosmological Argument: This argument suggests that this universe exists because there is a supreme power that brought it into existence and is still keeping it all together.

Philosophy of religion against Theism

Philosophy of religion has made several attempts to justify and prove the existence of God. On the same time there are several arguments that are against theism, which disapprove the existence of one true God. They supporters of atheism believe that world would have been different if God have actually existed. They believe the current happenings and events are due to absence of God and supreme power. Some of the arguments which are against theism are stated below:

Divine Omniscience Argument and its Problem: Divine omniscience is the belief that God has knowledge about everything and he knows it all. The argument about is that there are several statements which contradict this belief that God cannot know it all. It is impossible just as the belief that God cannot sin.

Divine Omnipotence and Problems with it: Divine omnipotence is the belief that God is powerful and supreme power belongs to him. The belief is arguable yet in a paradox and does not go along with being logically possible.

The Argument about Evil: The world is an evil place and it comes with a belief of one true God who is Omnipotent and Omniscience if it was true then none of the evil would be happening in the world at all. This is one of the biggest reasons why atheists discard the idea of true God.

Argument of Divine Justice: Even if one convince them to belief in heaven, hell and after life. There is a criticism of divine justice. It is witnessed that some people pay for their sins in this world and some evils go unnoticed and unpunished which support the idea of atheism and fail to justify the existence of one true God.

Is belief in God compatible with a belief in science? What scientific arguments offer the strongest evidence against theism? What scientific arguments provide the strongest evidence in support of theism?

Compatibility between belief in God and Science

The topic is strongly and greatly debatable in philosophy. The inter related field of religion and science is also known as theology and science. The purpose of this field is to find the common point which exists in both the fields. The study in this particular discipline started in 1960’s. The most dominant relationship between religion and science is based upon concept of evolutionary theory. There are several grounds on which both the fields contradict. If we focus upon evolutionary theory then the relationship between both the fields is complex.

The belief in God and belief in science is way complicated than we have been told and we acknowledge. Few atheists have tried to paint a simple picture of it which turns out to be not so scientific. The truth is fascination and quit interesting. Stephen Hawking is known to be well known writer and a great supporter of atheism but he did not end his life with the same faith. He questioned the existence of one true God but then also felt need of it. His bestselling book, A brief history of time end on a passage where he questions the existence of God and atheism altogether. He ends his book with a question for the readers that what do they think that something is who is breathing fire in equations and keeping the universe going so they can describe it?

Then in interviews he answered the question with notion that the universe is working in an order the more we learn about it, the more we are fascinated and we discover the rational laws. He thinks that there is requirement of a God to answer the questions which are unanswered and unjustified by the rules and laws of science. He believes that earth and universe even we the humans are in existence because He wants us to exist and he wants this universe to exist.

Scientific arguments against Theism

There are several arguments which suggest that this world exists because it just does. Philip Johnson is a philosopher who wrote several writings to support the idea that the nature does need a God to exist. This universe and world exists because of philosophical system of naturalism and God has nothing to do with it. The arguments of science which are against the theism are phenomena of mutation, natural selection, evolution, recombination, inheritance, frequency of gene in a population. There is a logical incompatibility between science and existence of God.

There is concept of Supernatural Explanations which is termed as beyond the natural world, uncontrollable by human and mysterious for human being. There is a borderline between natural world and Supernatural and God cannot cross it.

Scientific arguments supporting Theism

Science and theism is interconnected and this can be proved by the history between the two. Historians provided a natural framework of living for human culture, behavior in dogmas such as culture, morality and emotions. Facts or way of living which was suggested by historians or religious scholars in the past are coming out as scientific facts in modern day scientific research. Scientific arguments which support theism are existence of the universe, life (from a minute organism such as protozoa to a complex organism such as human being, day and night, mutation (survival of misfits in a different and uncommon way), mortality, and reproduction.

How do religious and scientific ways of viewing world differs and how are they similar? And are they in conflict or harmony?

Difference among religious and scientific views

Religion and science are multidisciplinary. Science tests every hypothesis and observation through experiments. Then the results are written down and published so that other scientists can work on it and approve or disapprove the theory. If it is approved worldwide then the theory becomes law. While in case of religion, it is big system and human contributions and beliefs add more to it. It involves performance of certain rituals to please God without any concern of nature; it involves psychotherapy, welfare system, motivation for political and social systems.

Science is reality and not just a perspective; it is a fact while religion is perspective and a belief. Science limits its findings and observations to natural existence but religion is not confined to it, it involves existence and belief of supernatural. Science limits the bias while at the same time religion supports ones experience without showing any concern about facts and figures. Science believes in natural existence of certain substances and supports the idea of man-made as well while religion claims that every that exists naturally is because of the presence of God and man make things because God guides them to do it. Theism provides more believable approach that why we should do what our heart wants, it goes coherent with human nature.

Similarity between Scientific and religious belief

Science comes with scientific findings and religion is based upon beliefs. Religion comes out with facts and science tests the validity of it. Both depend upon incomplete evidence; science tends to prove it while religion does not. Science wants a solid evidence for every deduction or view while in case of religion any belief is valid and does not require any testing. The emotional firmness is enough to accept something. Science finds answer of everything while religion discards it by calling it fate’s game or will of God. The purpose of both the discipline is common i.e. doing well for human life.

Conflict or harmony?

It depends on how you see it; it is the eyes of the beholder. If someone wants to see it in harmony he will and if someone wants to witness the conflict he sure will as they both disciplines are variable. In today’s world when scientific experiments are approving every of the ancient religious values as scientific facts, it is setting a pace and it is not wrong to believe it is in harmony. A religion comes up with non-testified words and science tests to approve it. Code of DNA, big bang theory, universal and mathematical laws, and several other phenomena are discovered by the aid of science and religion altogether.