3.11.2
Secularism - Richard Dawkins
The Rise of Secularism: Richard Dawkins
The Rise of Secularism: Richard Dawkins
Dawkins argues that religion is not based upon rationality but is the product of wishful thinking and blind faith.
Teapot sun analogy
Teapot sun analogy
- Dawkins likens belief in God to randomly supposing that there is a teapot circling the sun (an example that was first used by Bertrand Russell).
- Dawkins believes that there is simply no reason to believe in God’s existence and plenty of contrary evidence such as the existence of evil.
- Philosophical arguments for the problem of evil as disproving God’s existence come from Mackie and, originally, Epicurus.
Dangers of religion
Dangers of religion
- Dawkins argues that religion is not only blind and irrational but also dangerous.
- It causes wars, misery, death and prevents the progress of science.
- People commit suicide in the name of religion and destroy other people, including unbelievers and those of different faiths, in the process.
Concerned with fundamentalism
Concerned with fundamentalism
- Dawkins is concerned by the rise of Christian fundamentalism.
- This approach causes the greatest harm to scientific advancement about the origin of the universe.
Anti-creationists
Anti-creationists
- Dawkins acknowledges: “I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.”
- Dawkins has creationists in mind, who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible and think that evolution is false.
- Creationists typically refuse to accept science when they think it conflicts with their interpretation of the Bible.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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