^CategoryPhilosophy

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 26, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Essence vs Existence, Featured, Knowledge (and certainty), Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, Morality (how derived), Perfection (as concept), Theology Unleashed}

14: Debate: Is Morality a Mere Emotion That We Project On Others?

_{Theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty continue their conversation about basic issues at Theology Unleashed} _{News

October 26, 2021

12

Ethics, Philosophy}

In the “Does God exist?” debate at Theology Unleashed between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), a questioner asks, what underlies morality? Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s First Way (the first logical argument for the existence of God). Then, turning to…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 24, 2021

Categorized
Mathematics, Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Atheism (and ethics), Atheism (and predictions), Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, Singularities (in science), Theology Unleashed}

13. Egnor vs. Dillahunty: Are Singularities a Part of Science?

_{Also, an audience member asks the debaters: Does atheism make better predictions than theism?} _{News

October 24, 2021

10

Mathematics, Philosophy, Religion, Science}

In the “Does God exist?” debate at Theology Unleashed between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), we now look at questions from the audience on whether singularities are really a part of science and whether atheism is really a belief system that can make predictions. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 23, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Science

Tagged
"The Mailbox", Louis Yin, Time travel, William Yuekun Wu}

A Man in Dire Need Contacts His Unborn Grandson — Sci-Fi Saturday

_{The grandson “gets the mail” and sends back something from the future, via a mysterious mailbox, that gives the felons a considerable surprise} _{News

October 23, 2021

22

Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Science}

“Mailbox” at DUST by Louis Yin (October 15, 2021, 17:00 min) An American Chinese immigrant makes contact with his grandson in the future via a mailbox. Together they have to deal with their mutual enemies. Review: Based on Yanan Wang’s short story, “The Post man,” the story begins in New York City in 1946, where Chinese immigrants are oppressed by a criminal landlord. The gritty, authentically period tale begins to revolve around an old mailbox that turns out not to be time bound. Not a spoiler: Bo (William Yuekun Wu) can mail things to the future. His grandson (whose life appears to have only somewhat improved by being two generations on… ) can, however, help by mailing back stuff from…

Extrasolar planet with atmosphere and moon

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 23, 2021

Categorized
Information Theory, Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Avi Loeb, Big Bang (what preceded it), Darwinian evolution (as product of design), Extraterrestrials (ET creating our universe), Information (and origin of universe), Intelligence (and origin of universe), Kardashev Scale, Quantum tunneling}

Harvard Astronomer: Advanced Aliens Engineered the Big Bang

_{Avi Loeb writes in Scientific American that when we humans are sufficiently advanced, we will create other universes as well} _{News

October 23, 2021

7

Information Theory, Philosophy, Science}

At Scientific American, Avi Loeb, the longest-serving chair of astronomy at Harvard (2011–2020), tackles the question of what came before the Big Bang. He surveys the conventional explanations for this singularity in time and space (when all points are zero) and comes to a somewhat surprising conclusion: Creation by an alien intelligence is the best way to account for our universe: Now there are a variety of conjectures in the scientific literature for our cosmic origins, including the ideas that our universe emerged from a vacuum fluctuation, or that it is cyclic with repeated periods of contraction and expansion, or that it was selected by the anthropic principle out of the string theory landscape of the multiverse—where, as the MIT…

A Young Man Reading The Bible To Another Young Man In Jail

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 19, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Featured, Justice (vs mercy), Matt Dillahunty, Matt Dillahunty (on morality), Mercy (vs justice), Michael Egnor, Morality (Dillahunty's view), Theology Unleashed}

12. Egnor vs. Dillahunty: How Can God Be Both Just and Merciful?

_{After atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty explains his view of morality, an audience member asks neurosurgeon Michael Egnor to explain how a just God can show mercy} _{News

October 19, 2021

13

Ethics, Philosophy, Religion}

In the “Does God exist?” debate at Theology Unleashed between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), we are looking at the nature of good, as well as the problem of evil. Now, as the questions continue, Matt Dillahunty defends his view of the foundations of morality and Michael Egnor explains how justice and mercy can be combined. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 17, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Causation (time and causation), Featured, Matt Dillahunty (on time and causation), Michael Egnor (on evil as absence of good), Michael Egnor (on time and causation), Theology Unleashed, Time (causation and time)}

11. Is Evil in the World Simply the Absence of Good?

_{Christian Michael Egnor argues for that view. Then he and atheist Matt Dillahunty clash over whether a cause can be outside of time} _{News

October 17, 2021

11

Philosophy}

In the “Does God exist?” debate between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), we are now looking at the nature of good, as well as the problem of evil. Also, can change be outside of time? Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 17, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, Nominalism, Realism, Realism vs. nominalism controversy, Theology Unleashed}

10: Christian Egnor and Atheist Dillahunty Now Take Questions…

_{For example, “ What is Mr. Egnor’s best evidence of any god that would make me believe?”} _{News

October 17, 2021

14

Ethics, Philosophy, Science}

In the “Does God exist?” debate between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), the debaters get questions from the audience. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s First Way (the first logical argument for the existence of God). Then, turning to the origin…

collection of alien planets in front of the Milky Way galaxy, nearby exoplanets

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 16, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Copernican Principle, Earth (as insignificant), Exoplanets, Giant Magellan Telescope, James Webb Telescope, Marcelo Gleiser}

Physicist: Copernican Principle Doesn’t Make Earth Insignificant

_{That, Marcelo Gleiser says, is a philosophical attitude, unrelated to the science} _{News

October 16, 2021

4

Philosophy, Science}

Theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser, author of The Island of Knowledge (2014) offers some thoughts on what the Copernican Principle means and doesn’t mean about Earth’s status as a planet — whether Earth is a special place or a pale blue dot. He has no objection to the Copernican Principle (“a cornerstone of astronomy”) as such. The problem, he points out, is what happened next: Copernicus famously proposed that Earth was not the center of the universe; the sun was. The Earth, he suggested, was just another planet orbiting the sun like Mars or Jupiter… The principle, as understood today, is usually stated as, “Earth is an ordinary planet, and we, human observers, are ordinary too.” There is nothing special about…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 16, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Philosophy

Tagged
Chukwudi Iwuji, Extent (film), Immortality (in science fiction), Kaitlyn Raymond, Marcus Henderson, Paul Draper, Science fiction}

An Inventor Discovers the Curse of Immortality – Sci-Fi Saturday

_{What happens when he makes others immortal in this world but not himself?} _{News

October 16, 2021

22

Arts & Culture, Philosophy}

“Extent” at DUST by Paul Draper (August 9, 2021, 12:43 min) Time stands still as two old friends attempt to grapple with a question that defines their very existence. If you could live forever, would you? Review: The film uses chess as a metaphor that deepens as the story progresses. Edward (Marcus Henderson), a famous inventor, became involved with a woman who sounds unpleasant from the get-go (Ann, played by Kaitlyn Raymond). I t all ends badly, of course: “I love how diabolical you are.” – Edward. Checkmate. Edward seeks comfort afterward from alcohol and secondly from his friend Alexander (Chukwudi Iwuji) and the two get to talking about life, death, and all that. Then we discover an astonishing fact…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 15, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Atheism, Atheism (and ethics), Atheism (tenets disputed), Dalai Lama, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Matt Dillahunty (atheism questioned), Michael Egnor, Michael Egnor (questioning Dillahunty's atheism), Theology Unleashed}

9. Michael Egnor Explains Why Matt Dillahunty Is Not an Atheist

_{Not really, anyway, Egnor insists, because he keeps invoking a moral standard that can’t exist if materialist atheism is true} _{News

October 15, 2021

13

Ethics, Philosophy, Religion}

In the “Does God exist?” debate between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), we find Egnor questioning Dillahunty’s atheism. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s First Way (the first logical argument for the existence of God). Then, turning to the origin of…

creative idea.Concept of idea and innovation

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 14, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Events, Philosophy

Tagged
COSM 2021, Discovery Institute (mission), Featured, Steve Buri, Steve Buri (COSM 2021 host), Steve Buri (on COVID-19), Stewardship Partners}

Meet Your Host for COSM 2021, Steve Buri

_{Buri, President of the Discovery Institute, has been active in Washington public life for decades and looks forward to hosting thoughtful high tech pioneers} _{News

October 14, 2021

5

Artificial Intelligence, Events, Philosophy}

Attendees of COSM 2021 (November 10–11), where Big Tech pioneers will sit down together to think and talk about where AI is going, will have as their hos, Steve Buri. Buri, President of the Discovery Institute since 2011, will be emceeing and moderating throughout, with the goal of sharing the mission of Discovery Institute as it relates to an understanding of natural and artificial intelligence. A couple of things about Steve: He was born and raised in the small farming community ofColfax, Washington, and graduated from Washington State University with a double major in political science and criminal justice in 1994. After graduation, he was active in local politics, serving as senior staff member to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA)…

Two chess knights facing away from each other

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 13, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy

Tagged
Abolition of Man (book), Atheism (and morality), C. S. Lewis (the Tao), Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Matt Dillahunty (on origin of morality), Michael Egnor, Michael Egnor (on origin of morality), Morality (its origin), Tao (in Lewis's writings), Theology Unleashed}

8. Does Morality Really Exist? If So, Does It Come From God?

_{Matt Dillahunty now challenges Michael Egnor: There is no way to know whether a moral doctrine represents any reality apart from belief} _{News

October 13, 2021

16

Ethics, Philosophy}

In the “Does God exist?” debate between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), the debaters are now talking about where moral precepts come from. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s First Way (the first logical argument for the existence of God). Then,…

workplace of lawyer business in office. wooden gavel , contact papers ,justice and law ,attorney, court judge,burden of proof.

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
October 12, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Atheism (and burden of proof), Burden of proof (in argument), Burden of proof (in law), Divine Hiddenness argument (as illogical), Featured, Immunity idol, Matt Dillahunty, Theism (and burden of proof)}

Theists vs. Atheists: Which Group Has the Burden of Proof?

_{Because Dillahunty refuses to debate me again, I’ll address his claim that atheists have no burden of proof in the debate over God’s existence in this post} _{Michael Egnor

October 12, 2021

7

Philosophy, Science}

A common refrain from those atheists who are willing to debate theists is that theists, not atheists, have the burden of proof in the debate over God’s existence. Internet atheist Matt Dillahunty made this claim in our recent debate. Regrettably, it looks doubtful that Dillahunty and I will debate again. He didn’t fare well—he had no real understanding of any of the ten classical proofs of God’s existence— and in the wake of his confused and rambling attempts at exculpation he refuses to debate me again. His reluctance is understandable—he was clearly shaken by the revelation that his rejection of the proofs of God’s existence isn’t based on any actual understanding on his part of the arguments. Like all other…

Starfield in deep space many light years far from the Earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 10, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Albert Einstein (and deism), Antony Flew, Baruch Spinoza (and deism), Deism (vs. theism), Featured, Fine tuning (universe), Ola Hössjer, Presumption of Atheism (book), Robert J. Marks, Theism (vs. deism), There is a God (book)}

If Extraterrestrials Didn’t Fine Tune Earth, Maybe There Is a God

_{In the face of a grab bag of ideas like creation by ETs or countless universes (some run by cats), why does the idea of a Creator seem far out?} _{News

October 10, 2021

14

Philosophy, Religion, Science}

Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks has been doing a series of podcasts with Swedish mathematician Ola Hössjer, and Colombian biostatistician Daniel Díaz in connection with a recent co-authored paper on the fine-tuning of the universe for life in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. In the first portion of this episode, podcast 153, “Why is there fine-tuning everywhere?” they look at whether life was seeded in our universe by advanced life forms (directed panspermia), as advocated by some prominent scientists. In the second portion, they discuss the view — again, held by prominent science figures — that our universe is an advanced computer sim. In the third segment, they tackle the idea that there is nothing to…

Giraffe looking through a plane's window

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
October 10, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy

Tagged
Abduction, Argument from personal incredulity (re God), Atheism (vs theism), Featured, Logic (fallacies), Matt Dillahunty, Theism (vs atheism), Theology Unleashed}

Atheist Claims About Logical Fallacies Often Just Mean: Shut Up!

_{In the recent debate, Matt Dillahunty accuses theists of “the fallacy of the argument from personal incredulity” because we examine his claims and find them incredible} _{Michael Egnor

October 10, 2021

8

Philosophy}

What does atheist Matt Dillahunty mean when he accuses theists of “the fallacy of the argument from personal incredulity”? Atheist rhetoric is a mish mash of ignorance, denial and pretense, often mingled with explicit or implicit efforts at censorship. Atheists travel in herds—contrary to their own inflated sense of their ‘freethought’ and ‘skepticism’, they are the most gullible idealogues. In debate with atheists, specific themes show up again and again, and atheist accusation of ‘the fallacy of the argument from personal incredulity’ is among the most common, usually aimed at Christians who challenge atheist arguments. Matt Dillahunty invoked ‘the fallacy of the argument from personal incredulity’ in our recent debate. It’s worthwhile examining what this ‘fallacy’ is and why atheists…

Demolition of hotel collapse following bomb blast explosion

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 5, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Atheism, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, Moral law (as proof of God), Raping babies (ethics illustration), Theism, Theology Unleashed}

7. Dillahunty Asks 2nd Oldest Question: If God Exists, Why Evil?

_{In the debate between Christian neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty, the question of raping a baby was bound to arise.} _{News

October 5, 2021

19

Ethics, Philosophy, Science}

In the “Does God exist?” debate between theist neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty (September 17, 2021), we have at last got round to the Problem of Evil. Readers may recall that the debate opened with Egnor explaining why, as former atheist, he became a theist. Then Dillahunty explained why, as a former theist, he became an atheist. Michael Egnor then made his opening argument, offering ten proofs for the existence of God. Matt Dillahunty responded in his own opening argument that the propositions were all unfalsifiable. When, in Section 4, it was Egnor’s turn to rebut Dillahunty, Dillahunty was not easily able to recall Aquinas’s First Way (the first logical argument for the existence of God). Then,…

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 5, 2021

Categorized
Mathematics, Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Featured, George Ellis, Mathematics (of multiverse), Multiverse, Multiverse (opponents), Multiverse (proponents), Ola Hössjer, Parallel universes, Robert J. Marks}

In an Infinity of Universes, Countless Ones Are Run by Cats…

_{Daniel Díaz notes that most of the talk about the multiverse started to appear once it was realized that there was fine-tuning in nature} _{News

October 5, 2021

12

Mathematics, Philosophy, Science}

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
October 4, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Conception (vs. perception), Divine Hiddenness argument, Fear and Trembling (book), Featured, God (evidence for God), God (nature of God), God's Hiddenness (argument), Matt Dillahunty, Nature (evidence for God), Perception (vs. conception), Søren Kierkegaard}

The Divine Hiddenness Argument Against God’s Existence = Nonsense

_{God in Himself is immeasurably greater than we are, and He transcends all human knowledge} _{Michael Egnor

October 4, 2021

14

Philosophy, Science}

In my recent debate with Matt Dillahunty about the existence of God, Dillahunty invoked his favorite argument against God’s existence — the Divine Hiddenness argument. We didn’t have a chance to go into that argument in detail in the debate, and Dillahunty is unwilling to have any more debates with me (even if he’s paid, apparently). So this is a good forum to look at that argument in more detail. What is the argument for atheism from God’s Hiddenness? This is a standard form of the argument from Divine Hiddenness against God’s existence: Necessarily, if God exists, then God perfectly loves such finite persons as there may be. Necessarily, if God perfectly loves such finite persons as there may be,…

Professional pano technician repairing hammer mechanism.

^{Type
post

Author
Michael Egnor
Date
October 4, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Featured, Language (origin), Ola Hössjer, Robert J. Marks, Strong Anthropic Principle, Tautology (Weak Anthropic Principle as example), Weak Anthropic Principle}

Weak Anthropic Principle? Not an Explanation but a Tautology!

_{Compared to the Strong Anthropic Principle — the universe is objectively fine-tuned for life — the Weak Anthropic Principle aims to avoid evidence and subvert discussion} _{Michael Egnor

October 4, 2021

6

Philosophy, Science}

My friend and colleague Dr. Bob Marks has a wonderful podcast with Swedish mathematician Ola Hössjer and Colombian biostatistician Daniel Díaz, regarding a recent paper they published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics on fine tuning for life in the universe. It’s very clear from astrophysics that many physical variables in the early universe needed to take very specific values — with very little margin for error — to permit the emergence of life. This is quite remarkable, and the authors have written a very nice paper exploring the probabilities involved in this apparent fine-tuning in considerable detail. It’ fascinating and I highly recommend listening to the podcast. In the most recent segment, “Our universe survived a firing…

genesis of life and beginning of evolution concept illustration

^{Type
post

Author
News
Date
October 3, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Science

Tagged
Anthropic Principles, Featured, Firing squad (Anthropic Principle analogy), Frank Tipler, John D. Barrow, Ola Hössjer, Robert J. Marks, Strong Anthropic Principle, Weak Anthropic Principle}

Our Universe Survived a Firing Squad and It’s Just an Accident?

_{According to the Weak Anthropic Principle, if things weren’t the way they are, we wouldn’t be here and that’s all there is to it} _{News

October 3, 2021

12

Philosophy, Science}

Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks has been doing a series of podcasts with Swedish mathematician Ola Hössjer, and Colombian biostatistician Daniel Díaz in connection with a recent co-authored paper on the fine-tuning of the universe for life in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. In the first portion of this episode, podcast 153, “Why is there fine-tuning everywhere?” they looked at whether life was seeded in our universe by advanced life forms (directed panspermia), as advocated by some prominent scientists. In the second portion, they discussed the view — again, held by prominent science figures — that our universe is an advanced computer sim. Both concepts stem from the difficulty of accounting for the existence and complexity…