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A Primal Perspective on the Philosophy of ReligionArguments Against the Existence of God

A Primal Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion: Arguments Against the Existence of God CHAPTER IV ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE EXISTENCE OF GOD There was probably never a time when belief in God was not challenged in one form or another, even if only to set the stage for its vindication, as in the Book of Job. However, it may be true to say that, for several centuries prior to the rise of the modern western civilization, the prevailing intellectual climate was noticeably suffused with belief in God in some form or other. The situation today is different. Belief in God is now a matter of keen contestation and this contestation is also characterized by a measure of sophistication. “The responsible skeptic, whether agnostic or atheist, is not concerned to deny that religious people have had certain experiences as a result of which they have become convinced of the reality of God. The skeptic believes, however, that these experiences can be adequately accounted for without postulating a God and by adopting instead a naturalistic interpretation of religion. Two of the most influential such interpretations will now be discussed.” The Sociological Theory of Religion The sociological theory of religion is of special interest in any discussion of the primal philosophy of religion, because it was http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A Primal Perspective on the Philosophy of ReligionArguments Against the Existence of God

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Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Copyright
© Springer 2006
ISBN
978-1-4020-5013-8
Pages
71 –80
DOI
10.1007/1-4020-5014-3_4
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

CHAPTER IV ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE EXISTENCE OF GOD There was probably never a time when belief in God was not challenged in one form or another, even if only to set the stage for its vindication, as in the Book of Job. However, it may be true to say that, for several centuries prior to the rise of the modern western civilization, the prevailing intellectual climate was noticeably suffused with belief in God in some form or other. The situation today is different. Belief in God is now a matter of keen contestation and this contestation is also characterized by a measure of sophistication. “The responsible skeptic, whether agnostic or atheist, is not concerned to deny that religious people have had certain experiences as a result of which they have become convinced of the reality of God. The skeptic believes, however, that these experiences can be adequately accounted for without postulating a God and by adopting instead a naturalistic interpretation of religion. Two of the most influential such interpretations will now be discussed.” The Sociological Theory of Religion The sociological theory of religion is of special interest in any discussion of the primal philosophy of religion, because it was

Published: Jan 1, 2006

Keywords: Sociological Theory; Primal Society; Oedipus Complex; John Hick; Intellectual Climate

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