Article Critique on "Mccloskey Asserts That the Initial Belief"

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McCloskey asserts that the initial belief of the Christians does not always come because of the belief they have in the existence of God

They always have other reasons for which they go for the belief in God. In the cosmological proof, the theist believes that there the world could not just have existed without the influence of some powers. Therefore, they associate the existence of the world to the existence of God. They argue that the existence of the Supreme Being contributed to the existence of something rather than nothing. The teleological proof also provides that there everything in the world is a product of an intelligence design, thereby contributing this to God whom they view as a powerful designer of all the existence in the universe

. These theists, however, do not provide the cause of the existence of the Supreme Being. They believe that God is the unmoved mover and a necessary being. They just reach at the level of God causing the existence of the world without looking into the fact that According to me, I agree with the opinion given by McCloskey that the arguments provided by the theist are just proofs, which cannot be relied on in establishing the existence of God

. However, the proofs should not be totally done away with, because they help the human beings in discerning the meaning of their existence. Because of the lack of the knowledge of their existence, human beings can rely on theism to help them in providing the solution to their question. There must be an intelligent designer, who is God, even though there is no proof to show what could have led to his existence.

Question 2a

Even tho

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ugh McCloskey believes that the proofs do not provide the adequate proof for the existence of God, there is a need to provide the cause of the existence of all the things in the world

. This is because of the design that the object in the world takes. The contingency of the universe brings the unique design, which obviously could not exist without the influence of an external factor. The continent world comes as the result of the situation where the objects we see have unique order or disorder, which the law of nature can easily explain

. For this reason of contingency, it is, therefore, true that there must be an existence of a contingence being who contributed to the continence existence in the universe. The existent of the intelligent design of the universe also brings the high possibility that the contingent being still exists and he controls the world. For instance, the body of the organisms has an anatomy viable and compatible to their environment and their neighbors. The reason being given by the atheist that there must be cause for the existent of the contingent being cannot apply because of the explanation that there is an infinite number of the contingent beings or there is simply no cause of the being. While the former applies that each continent being had its causer hence forming a series of the causers, the former asserts that there is just no cause of the contingent being.

Question 2b

Through Evans postulation on the cosmological argument, McCloskey opinion cannot help in solving the problem about the existence of God.

From the contingency nature of the universe, it is unmanageable to contend that a global cause could have been weak or imperfect. This is because of the unique order in which the universe and its constituents take, that is, there is the existence of a life form, which may not have existed. These actions can only occur through the existence of the all knowing and powerful being. The uncaused cause also contribute less in the explanation of the universe because a person may argue that there are infinite causes and, therefore, difficult to explain. A person can also argue that there is just no cause of the cause.

Question 3a

McCloskey argues his indisputable example from the view given by the cosmological proof, which talks about God being perfect and all-powerful. He uses this to discuss the example of the design and purpose for which there is the existence of the universe. Therefore, He argues that because the theist also believes on the existence of evil in the world, then the cause of the universe was not perfect. Nobody can accept being associated with the evil and, therefore, the Supreme Being was not purposeful in the cause of designing the world. The existence of evil is a threat to every being hence this contradicts the belief that there is an explanation for the divine purpose the designing of the universe. Therefore, according to McCloskey, the thesis of design and purpose does not provide proof to the existence of God.

Question 3b

The cosmological design provides the strong evidence about the existence of the universe designer. This is as the result of the explanation of the contingency nature of the world, which could not just come out of nothing. The contingent beings in the universe, which could have been the other way than they are, contribute to the presence of an omniscient and an all-knowing designer.

Question 3c

If evolution were to be true, Evans asserts that it could have still reinforced the fact that the universe is a creation of a designer. Evans state that evolution process being a mechanical process could simply be used by God to achieve his purpose of creation

. The teleological design applies that the evolutionary process could have just been a way of projecting the complexity of the work done by the designer.

Question 3d

Evans asserts that the cosmological argument only provides the explanation of the cause of the universe, and not the other components of the universe. The charge by McCloskey can be applied on the case of limitation of cosmological design because it does not provide for the explanation of evil in the universe. The use of cosmological design ignores the presence of evil thereby making it inappropriate in explaining the perfection in the design purposes of God.

Question 4a

In his writing, Evans uses the note made by Mackie that the presence of God plus the additional premises is a logical indicator that there is no evil in the world

. At this point, this would disapprove the assertion made by McCloskey that the presence of evil disqualifies the presence of God. The additional premises in the case of Evans, talks of the fact the presence of evil was to be an opposition in the existence of God. The evil provides for the strong opposition against the belief that God exists. Therefore, the mere presence of the evil does not necessarily contradicts the presence of God but just helps in projecting the presence of God. This is because where there is evil there must be good whereby God associates with good.

Question 4b

According to Mackie, it was within God's power to create a world with creatures and without evil. It involves the giving man the freedom but manipulating the freedom such that men can only do things, which are good. Mackie, therefore, provides that man could have not been associated with evils, which always contradict the presence of God. However, Evans says that Plantiga provides the more plausible definition of the free will of man. Plantiga asserts that the true meaning of free will only comes when there are no restrictions in such type of freedom

. Therefore, man could choose on whether to do good or evil. Evans also uses the evidential problem to determine the extent to which evil may be contradicting the evidence about the existence of God.

Question 5

William Lane provides that in the absence of God there will be no… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Mccloskey Asserts That the Initial Belief" Assignment:

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Response Paper Instructions

Attachment: 1 Fax Copy McCloskey Article *****On Being an Atheist,*****

Attachment: 2 Fax Copy 1-17 pages on Evens/Other Sources for your consideration.

In this article, McCloskey is both critical of the classical arguments for God*****s existence and offers the problem of evil as a reason why one should not believe in God. Please read this short article, attached and respond to each of the questions below. The basis for your answers should primarily come from the attachment: Please don*****t quote these sources as an answer to the question-answer in your own words. You may appeal to other outside sources as well, as long as you properly document them using Turabain style formatting (See attachment 2) or use your own. Please do not use the Bible as a source. This response paper is to be a minimum of 1700 words, and should be written in an essay format. You can be critical of McCloskey, but should remain respectful. I am developing a 2500 word paper and I*****m looking for detailed responses***** to each of the questions below.

1 McCloskey refers to the arguments as *****Proofs***** and often implies that they can*****t definitively establish the case for God, so therefore they should be abandoned. What would you say about this?

2 Cosmological Argument:

McCloskey claims that the *****mere existence of the world constitutes no reason for believing in such a being [i.e. a necessarily existing being]***** Using Evans***** discussion of the Non-temporal form of the argument (pp. 69-77) explain why the cause of the universe must be necessary (and therefore uncaused).

McCloskey also claims that the cosmological argument *****does not entitle us to postulate an all-powerful, all-perfect, uncaused cause.***** In light of Evans*****s final paragraph on the cosmological argument (p.77), how might you respond to McCloskey?

3 On the Teleological Argument:

McCloskey claims that *****to get the proof going, genuine indisputable examples of design and purpose are needed.***** Discuss this standard of *****indisputability***** which he calls a *****very conclusive objection.***** Is it reasonable?

From your reading in Evans, can you offer an example of design that, while not necessarily *****indisputable***** you believe provides strong evidence of a designer of the universe?

McCloskey implies that evolution has displaced the need for a designer. Assuming evolution is true, for argument*****s sake, how would you respond to McCloskey (see Evans pp. 82-83)?

McCloskey claims that the presence of imperfection and evil in the world argues against *****the perfection of the divine design or divine purpose in the world.***** Remembering Evens***** comments about the limitations of the cosmological argument, how might you respond to this charge by McCloskey?

4 On the problem of Evil:

McCloskey*****s main objection to theism is the presence of evil in the world and he raises it several times: *****No being who was perfect could have created a world in which there was unavoidable suffering or in which his creatures would (and in fact could have been created so as not to) engage in morally evil acts, acts which very often result in injury to innocent persons.***** It seems to me the language of this claim is implying that it is an example of the logical form of the problem. Given this implication, using Evans*****s discussion of the logical problem (pp. 159-168 noting especially his concluding paragraphs to this section), how might you respond to McCloskey?

McCloskey specifically discusses the free will argument, asking *****might not God have very easily so have arranged the world and biased man to virtue that men always freely chose what is right?***** From the stand point of free will, and what Evans says about the free will theodicy, especially the section on Mackie and Plantinga*****s response (pp. 163-166) and what he says about the evidential problem (pp. 168-172), how would you respond to McCloskey*****s question?

5 On Atheism as Comforting

In the final pages of McCloskey*****s article he claims that atheism is more comforting than theism. Using the argument presented by William Lane ***** in the article *****The Absurdity of Life without God,***** (Look up on the Internet) respond to McCloskey*****s claim.

*****

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