Chapter 6Chapter 6

Medieval PhilosophyMedieval Philosophy

What is a covenant and how it is important to What is a covenant and how it is important to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? What sorts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? What sorts of

philosophy do we find in the teachings of philosophy do we find in the teachings of Abraham and Jesus? What is the difference Abraham and Jesus? What is the difference

between the a priori and a posteriori arguments between the a priori and a posteriori arguments for God’s existence? What is the Ontological for God’s existence? What is the Ontological

Argument? What are Aquinas’ Five Arguments for Argument? What are Aquinas’ Five Arguments for God’s existence? How did Islamic thinkers God’s existence? How did Islamic thinkers

contribute to the development of philosophy in contribute to the development of philosophy in Medieval times? How did religion and philosophy Medieval times? How did religion and philosophy

overlap in the Medieval world?overlap in the Medieval world?

Medieval PhilosophyMedieval Philosophy

Striking Deals with GodStriking Deals with God

Would you enter into a covenant with a Would you enter into a covenant with a deity? deity?

How could you enforce such a covenant?How could you enforce such a covenant?

A Solution?A Solution?

Would you make a Would you make a covenant with a covenant with a

reasonable God?reasonable God?

Why?Why?

Would this be safer or Would this be safer or less safe that an less safe that an

unenforceable contract unenforceable contract with another person? with another person?

Why?Why?

JESUS THE SAVIOR!JESUS THE SAVIOR!

How is Jesus’ way to How is Jesus’ way to happiness similar to that happiness similar to that

of the Hellenistic of the Hellenistic philosophers before philosophers before

him?him?

How did he encourage How did he encourage critical thinking? critical thinking?

Rescue?Rescue?

What do you think Jesus saved people What do you think Jesus saved people from? from?

Could his teachings have this effect today? Could his teachings have this effect today?

MuhammadMuhammad

If God started to talk through you, would you If God started to talk through you, would you think you were mad?think you were mad?

How could you be reassured that you were How could you be reassured that you were not?not?

Paradox?Paradox?

Is the literal word of God ever not to be Is the literal word of God ever not to be taken literally?taken literally?

Is this a paradox?Is this a paradox?

Why, or why not?Why, or why not?

St. AugustineSt. AugustinePhilosopher—or not?Philosopher—or not?

Opposed to each other?Opposed to each other?

ReligionReligion

Is faith opposed to reason? Is faith opposed to reason?

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Is reason opposed to faith?Is reason opposed to faith?

Can a person be both religious and a Can a person be both religious and a philosopher? philosopher?

Explain your view.Explain your view.

Can religion and philosophy be opposed?Can religion and philosophy be opposed?

A firm foundation from which to A firm foundation from which to begin?begin?

Do you think that you can know anything Do you think that you can know anything without believing in something first, without believing in something first,

perhaps even without sufficient evidence, perhaps even without sufficient evidence, as a starting part for your quest for Truth?as a starting part for your quest for Truth?

The Question of EvilThe Question of Evil

If God is all powerful, all knowing, and all If God is all powerful, all knowing, and all good, then why does he allow bad things good, then why does he allow bad things

to happen? to happen?

Could the earthquake in Haiti Could the earthquake in Haiti reallyreally have have happened if this God exists?happened if this God exists?

Is evil a type of parasite?Is evil a type of parasite?

Or does its existence show that everything in Or does its existence show that everything in God’s creation is good?God’s creation is good?

Are these views compatible? Are these views compatible?

HOW?HOW?

Why did he bother?Why did he bother?

Why do you think God created the world? Why do you think God created the world?

Surely it was not to satisfy any desire that he Surely it was not to satisfy any desire that he had, for surely His perfection would mean had, for surely His perfection would mean

that he would have no desires?that he would have no desires?

Islamic Contributions Islamic Contributions

Have you, like Al-Kindi, ever made a Have you, like Al-Kindi, ever made a mistake that opened up a new and mistake that opened up a new and

unexpected line of inquiry? unexpected line of inquiry?

QuestionsQuestions

What started the universe; what was its first What started the universe; what was its first cause? cause?

Is there really evil in the world?Is there really evil in the world?

Is philosophy the enemy of religion?Is philosophy the enemy of religion?

Does God Exist? Does God Exist?

Do you seek to understand arguments for Do you seek to understand arguments for God’s existence so that you will believe in God’s existence so that you will believe in

God, or do you believe in God as a God, or do you believe in God as a condition of understanding these condition of understanding these

arguments?arguments?

What is the difference here?What is the difference here?

The Ontological ArgumentThe Ontological Argument

Can you conceive of Can you conceive of anything greater than anything greater than God?God?

If not, how could this If not, how could this be used to show that be used to show that God God necessarilynecessarily exists?exists?

Can the most perfect Being exist Can the most perfect Being exist only in the imagination?only in the imagination?

Could there be a perfect island? Could there be a perfect island?

MUST there be a perfect island?MUST there be a perfect island?

St. Thomas AquinasSt. Thomas Aquinas

God?God?

Do you think that monkeys can understand Do you think that monkeys can understand string theory? string theory?

If not, why not?If not, why not?

But if monkeys cannot understand string But if monkeys cannot understand string theory because of their cognitive theory because of their cognitive limitations, how can we hope to limitations, how can we hope to

understand a Being that must necessarily understand a Being that must necessarily exist, that knows everything, past, present, exist, that knows everything, past, present,

and future, created everything, and is and future, created everything, and is perfectly good? perfectly good?

How could we start to try to understand How could we start to try to understand God?God?

Would it be useful to try to relate him to Would it be useful to try to relate him to things that we can understand? things that we can understand?

Look at the movements that occur around Look at the movements that occur around you; the clouds, the wind, and so on. What you; the clouds, the wind, and so on. What

causes these? causes these?

What caused What caused youyou to exist? to exist?

What could the ultimate explanation of these What could the ultimate explanation of these things be? things be?

Science vs. ReligionScience vs. Religion

Does science offer better explanations of Does science offer better explanations of reality than religion?reality than religion?

Do you have any evidence of the Big Bang—Do you have any evidence of the Big Bang—or do you have to take it on faith? What or do you have to take it on faith? What

caused it? caused it?

Could science and religion ultimately amount Could science and religion ultimately amount to the same thing?to the same thing?

Do you think that science or philosophy can Do you think that science or philosophy can prove anything?prove anything?

If so—If so—WHATWHAT??

Wondrous DistressWondrous Distress

If you could take a pill that would give you all If you could take a pill that would give you all of the knowledge that you would otherwise of the knowledge that you would otherwise gain from a four-year university education, gain from a four-year university education,

would you forgo university and take the would you forgo university and take the pill?pill?

Or is there some benefit to gaining Or is there some benefit to gaining knowledge through studying?knowledge through studying?

Are there any limits to reason and Are there any limits to reason and speculation?speculation?

If so, does this mean that there are some If so, does this mean that there are some things that cannot be known?things that cannot be known?

Or are the limits the limits of reality Or are the limits the limits of reality itself?itself?