Considering Metaphysical Presuppositions in Environmental Thought
Presented to the Dallas Philosophers Forum, January 24, 2012, Dallas, Texas Noted environmental philosopher J. Baird Callicott has recognized that “to affect change in both individual behavior and social, political, and economic institutions we have to do more...Marx & Engels vs. Locke
John Locke, in his 2nd Treatise on Government said that private property was a necessary ingredient of one’s own right to self preservation. If a person has a right to life, they must necessarily have a right to possess their own private property. Marx and...If X then Y. Y= our faith is worthless. What is X?
Blaise Pascal argued that if a person believes in God and in the end it turns out that God didn’t exist, than that person hasn’t really lost anything – thus he suggests it is better to believe (even if God doesn’t exist) than not to believe...Q & A: Does mankind have dominion over nature?
Q:Does mankind have dominion over nature? A: Genesis 1:26-28 does include a dominion mandate. The verb radah (1:26), translated by the NASB as rule, cannot be softened simply to mean stewardship. It is appropriately translated as rule or dominate. This dominion...Q & A: Is Christianity the most anthropocentric religion the world has ever seen?
Q: Lynn White, in his critique of Christianity as the primary cause of the ecological crisis says that Christianity is the most anthropocentric religion the world has ever seen. Is he right? A: Does the Bible reveal God to be focusing on man’s interests or His...Bertrand Russell’s critique of Christ
The following is an excerpt from Bertrand Russell’s “Why I am not a Christian.” (lecture on March 6, 1927 to the National Secular Society, South London Branch, at Battersea Town Hall). Which are his strongest arguments? Which are his weakest? How...Considering Hume’s Problem of Evil
Leading up to Hume, theodicy grew to be an increasingly central issue not only in theological discussion but also in philosophical inquiry – for some (such as Leibniz) it was a primary stimulus. Hume’s empiricism brought no less emphasis on the topic but did, however,...Ethical Implications of Stephen Hawking’s Perspective on the Brain
Reading a recent interview of Stephen Hawking (viewable at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven), I was struck by the progression of his logic: “I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when...Q & A: What is the problem of evil?
Q: What is the Problem of Evil? A: One questioner asks “Why do kids get cancer? Why are little girls raped and abused? Why does God allow the innocent to suffer? Why doesn’t He stop the suffering if He can?” Before resolving a problem such as this...HOW CAN I KNOW GOD?
