Transcript general review and advice powerpoint

Philosophy and ultimate
questions
Topics and Overview
• Arguments for God (design, cosmological or 1st cause, miracles,
experience)
• Revelation - special and general and examples of each
• Problem of evil and suffering and responses to it – not in the mock
• Miracles- what are they? Examples of them from history and
scripture, why people do or don’t believe them
• Exam is 1 and a half hours long – 70 minutes for the mock
• Ensure you read all instructions carefully.
• Ensure you choose your questions carefully-spend time reading
them and considering your answers.
• Look at how many marks each question is worth!
Cosmological Argument
• Cosmological theory (aka First Cause)
• Developed by St. Thomas Aquinas
• Everything is caused by something
else
• There must have been something to
start off everything else.
• God is the uncaused 1st cause. The
unmoved mover. He has always
existed.
• This idea is works well / is
supported by the Big Bang theory.
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Problems
Scientists say time began with the
Big Bang. Arguable to say there
was anything before it.
It’s inconceivable anything could
go on forever- but theists claim
God does.
Did God require a cause (perhaps
not, if God existed before time)?
If something was the first cause
(God) does it have to be a
personal God, not just a different
form of nature?
Design Argument
• Teleological argument (design
argument)
• Universe works so well there must
have been a designer.
• Developed by William Paley.
• Universe shows purpose and
complexity.
• Everything that has these qualities is
designed e.g. a watch.
• Universe infinitely more complicated.
Designer = God.
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Problems
Charles Darwin and his theory
of evolution destroyed this
argument. Things weren’t
designed for us. We evolved.
Why are some things in
nature designed ‘badly’
Miracles
• Miracles
• Are miracles proof of God?
• Miracles are usually seen as – an
act of God going against natural
laws helpful or good for people
• Many religious people consider
God to be immanent- he may
interfere in our world through
miracles
• Miracles are often very personal
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Miracles problems
Things might be a coincidence
People interpret things
differently
Why doesn’t God act for
everyone?
Why do miracles happen to
undeserving people?
Religious Experience
• Religious experience
• Visions- e.g. Teresa of Avila claimed to have seen God in
visions
• Conversion- St Paul on the way to Damascus
• General revelation- Feeling God’s presence e.g. prayer,
scripture, nature
• Problems
• Is it made up? Consciously or unconsciously?
• Can we trust the experience of others?
• Without evidence how can these be proved?
Argument from Morality
• Argument from morality
• Do people all over the world have the same concepts of what is
right and wrong?
• If there is it must be:
non-human as we all live and die and created and lose ideas
must be intelligent as there is logic to our morality
has to be good as our morality
is good
• Kant said the only answer is God
• Problems
• Does everyone have the same moral code?
• If there is a ‘voice’ telling us right and wrong then that presents
a problem with serial killers
Revelation – Unit 2
Special
Direct revelation from God. Usually has a
profound effect upon the person or people.
Isn’t available for everyone. E.g. Saul
General
Available for all, not all choose to see it. God
made clear through things like nature,
scripture, prayer etc.
Revelation
• Special from faiths - Saul (St. Paul), and Moses and
the burning bush, Mohammed in the Cave of
Power
Problems
Difficult to prove
Often to individuals
May be mad, lying,
attention seekers, etc
Revelation
• General- from nature
Problem
Difficult to prove
Is it really evidence?
Imperfections in nature
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Nature is beautiful
Nature is clever
It is complicated
Design and
purpose
• May invoke awe
and wonder in
people
Revelation
• General - from worship
Charismatic
Singing, dancing etc. Feeling the Holy Spirit during
worship
Sacramental
From the word sacrifice, altar- bread and wine- being
blessed by God
Contemplative
Meditation- maybe appreciating creation. Finding
answers through contemplation
Revelation
• General- from scripture
• Bible- describes God’s nature, what He has done,
rules for us to live by etc.
• Qur’an- actual word of Allah. Contains rules etc. and
has his 99 names
Revelation
• General - Through people, conscience and behaviour
Realize through our conscience how God wants us to be
See through the actions of religious leaders how we
should act
e.g. Martin Luther King jr.
Loosely connected to
moral argument for God
Miracles – Unit 3
• Traditionally they are seen as things that go against the laws
of nature.
• Normally associated with God or religious or supernatural
significance.
• Miracles are always good, but sometimes this means the
greater good and an initial appearance of unkindness /
punishment
Miracles
• Miracles from scripture- In the Gospel of Mark.
Jesus makes a blind man called Bartimaeus see
again.
• Also in Mark feeding of the 5000 from 5 loaves of
bread and two fish
• The raising of Lazarus
Miracles
• From outside of scripture - from
experience- In 1995 and 2006
Ganesha statues were drinking milk
• People have got better (or claimed to)
from injuries doctors have said they
will never heal from (example –
Lourdes)
• Also, stigmata and weeping icons
• Lourdes- Bernadette Soubitous saw
the Virgin Mary at the age of 14. She
saw her 18 times. About 5,000,000 go
a year and many people claim to have
had miraculous cures / healing
Miracles
David Hume on miracles
Hume was a famous Scottish philosopher
• If something has been seen before in nature then it so not a miracle.
• Miracles aren’t part of nature or normal experience. Miracles are not
natural (go against laws of nature)
• A wise man bases his belief on evidence- the more the better
• Any witness statement needs challenging- It has to be believable than
alternatives to be accepted as valid. Accounts of miracles in history have
never been seen by huge numbers of people who are reliable- their
testimonies are not credible. Anyone who is religious is likely to
exaggerate or misinterpret the evidence- their testimony must be
discounted.
Miracles
Against Hume on miracles
If people claim to have witnessed a miracle, do not focus
on if you believe the miracle, but if you can believe them.
People would not naturally lie about something that
would lead themselves into disrepute.
Improbable does not mean impossible.
We should not presume to know every way nature can
works (only God fully understands)
Test Practice
Key words and phrases
Quick answers
Expanding an answer
Religious references
Evaluation and/or multiple views
Timing
Key words and phrases
• Aquinas / Hume / Paley / cosmological / design / moral / revelation
Atheist
Theist
Monotheist
Polytheist
Agnostic
Transcendent
Immanent
Personal
Impersonal
Eternal
Omnipotent
Omniscient
Infinite
Free will
Quick Answers
• Answer the 1 or 2 point questions
• Each question should take around 30 seconds to a minute
Expanding an answer
• For 3 or 4 mark questions you should expand your answers.
• Examples of unexpanded answers …
• A belief is we are all stewards of the Earth.
• Equality and unity is demonstrated on Hajj.
• Examples of expanded answers …
• A belief is we are all stewards of the Earth. This is due to teachings in the Old
Testament in which humans are required to care for God’s creation, even while
maintaining dominion over it.
• Equality and unity is demonstrated on Hajj, one purpose of this pillar of Islam.
This is through the shared rituals and progression of all pilgrims. It is also through
the sharing of resources, and the wearing of near identical pilgrimage garb /
clothing.
Note: it is possible to expand through listing sub-points, adding a counter point, or
linking it to a broader religious reference or understanding.
Religious references – expand rather than just
state them
[Religious people] commonly believe [action / moral] as shown by
[action / reference]. This means [extension through explanation /
expectation or example] and [further detail] though [counter-point].
Hindus commonly believe all nature should be considered as sacred, as
shown by a common creation story in which all life extends from
Brahma. This means that many Hindus believe God both creates life,
and dwells within all life, and God’s nature is shown through the
universe as a whole but especially by all that may contain the ‘divine
spark’, even while God will eventually destroy and reform creation and
all life in the universe in the form of Shiva.
Note – it is best that for highly level questions some references are
direct quotes.
Evaluation and/or multiple views
• 5/6 mark questions often request multiple points of view. Also, they are often
based around one statement.
“If more people were religions, the negative effects of prejudice and discrimination
would decline”.
Basically, each point can be 1-4 marks, depending how fully it is expanded. Many
points will leave to 2-3 marks only, so it is a good idea to have 3 referenced points
where possible, or 2 references points where not.
1 Religious teaching … ‘Good Samaritan’ …
2 Religious example … Jesus …Buddha …
3 Inequality in religion … between faiths … caste system …
4 Specific tolerance in religion … “There is no compulsion in religion” …
5 Modern society and discrimination … women clergy … responses to
homosexuality …
Three of these five areas fully expanded upon could easily lead to 6 marks out of
six. This could only work however if the religious link is clear, accurate,
precise/succinct, and fully explained. For some points it may be harder to note
specific examples rather than general observations.
Timing
• Complete all the test questions in the 22.5 minutes provided
Afterward
• Self evaluate if …
• You answered ½ questions quickly, and spend a significant amount of time on 5/6
point questions
• You answered in a full sentences, at least for 3-6 mark questions
• Peer evaluate if …
• You have a clear religious reference for 4-6 mark questions
• You have more than one point of view in every question that asks for it (usually 46 mark questions)
• You have religious references for each point of view, or a reference to someone’s
view on religion