Category: Religion | Page 5

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

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News
Date
October 19, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, 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 Read More ›

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News
Date
October 15, 2021

Categorized
Ethics, Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Atheism, Atheism (and ethics), Dalai Lama, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, 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 Read More ›

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

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News
Date
October 10, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Antony Flew, Featured, Fine tuning (universe), Ola Hössjer, Robert J. Marks, 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 Read More ›

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Michael Egnor
Date
September 26, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Featured, New Atheism}

Atheist Spokesman Matt Dillahunty Refuses To Debate Me Again

_{Although he has said that he finds debates “incredibly valuable,” he is — despite much urging — making an exception in this case. Why?} _{Michael Egnor
September 26, 2021

9

Philosophy, Religion}

I recently debated atheist Matt Dillahunty on Theology Unleashed,. Matt is an atheist activist and the former president of the Atheist Community of Austin, Texas. Since 2005 he has hosted the televised webcast The Atheist Experience and he has also hosted a live Internet radio show and founded Iron Chariots, a counter-apologetics project. From a bio sketch: Matt Dillahunty is a seasoned debater, the current president of the Atheist Community of Austin, and the well known host of The Atheist Experience. He has debated Jordan Peterson, David Wood and a host of other theists, and has shared stages with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Laurence Krauss. He is known for his cool headed logical arguments and philosophical abilities. Matt describes Read More ›

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News
Date
September 22, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Featured, Matt Dillahunty, Michael Egnor, Theology Unleashed}

Debate: Former Atheist Neurosurgeon vs. Former Christian Activist

_{At Theology Unleashed, each gets a chance to state his case and interrogate the other} _{News
September 22, 2021

12

Philosophy, Religion, Science}

“Does God exist?” On September 17, in a rip-roaring old-fashioned debate, Christian neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and atheist broadcaster Matt Dillahunty debated the question at Theology Unleashed. We’ll cover this debate for you, including transcripts and notes. First, each participant was given a chance upfront to state where he is coming from and why. Michael Egnor, representing the Yes side, went first. How did a medic, formerly an atheist, who cuts open people’s brains for a living, come to be sure there is a God? And how did a fundamentalist Christian come to be hosting The Atheist Experience? The debate hosts are Arjuna Das for Theology Unleashed and Nathan from Digital Gnosis as the moderator. A partial transcript and notes follow. Read More ›

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News
Date
September 19, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Big Bang Something from Nothing (film)}

The Big Bang: The Beginning of All Questions About the Universe

_{... and the mind and all that} _{News
September 19, 2021

1

Philosophy, Religion, Science}

This offbeat “Science Uprising” film discusses the way in which the Big Bang, — the idea of a cosmic beginning — is unpopular among many philosophers of science because it sounds like an argument for the existence of God. But it is the best science explanation: You may also wish to read: The Big Bang has no natural beginning. In the debate between theistic neurosurgeon Michael Egnor and naturalist philosopher David Papineau, the question gets round to the origin of the universe itself

business and investment strategy analytics, financial simulation model

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News
Date
September 18, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Science fiction}

When a Simulated World Begins To Fall Apart — Sci-fi Saturday

_{Marie has reason to expect trouble when the simulator who explains reality to her cannot get her name right…} _{News
September 18, 2021

20

Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Religion, Science}

“Untitled Earth Sim 64” at DUST by Jonathan Wilhelmsson (September 10, 2021, 6:11) Marie is an offbeat woman who suspects that all is not right with the world. After experiencing various glitches in reality, she is called upon by a mysterious being that accidentally lets slip that her universe is a simulation. Marie’s life quickly unravels at this revelation, as she desperately looks for meaning in an untitled simulation. Review: This sci-fi comedy has won a number of awards and it is easy to see why. It is fast-paced and raises many interesting issues. When Marie (Karen Olrich-White) attempts to explain to her friend (Alexandra Frick) that she has learned from a mysterious voice (James Fraser) — amid a series Read More ›

AI (Artificial Intelligence) concept. Deep learning. Mindfulness. Psychology.

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Michael Egnor
Date
August 30, 2021

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind, Religion

Tagged
Featured}

Is Brain Science Helping Us Understand Belief in God?

_{To the extent that materialist researchers are still looking for a God switch in the brain, no, it doesn’t} _{Michael Egnor
August 30, 2021

5

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind, Religion}

A recent article about a Harvard neuroscientist’s research on the correlates of religious experience in the brain raises many familiar questions about the relevance of neuroscience to religious experience. Michael Ferguson is a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School. He grew up as a Mormon and was quite religious. But, he reports, his beliefs have changed. That’s probably fairly common at Harvard –- there is a pervasive and palpable bias against serious religious beliefs in many of our leading universities. Nonetheless, Ferguson thought, As a scientist, I can’t help but wonder what it is about these types of [religious] experiences that made them feel so rich and so profound. Emma Yasinski, “Religion on the Brain” at The Scientist (Jul 13, 2021) Read More ›

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News
Date
August 29, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Religion, Science

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Michael Behe, Michael Egnor}

Non-Materialist Science Is Wanted — Dead or Alive

_{Exploring a non-materialist approach to the mind has included a death threat for neurosurgeon Michael Egnor} _{News
August 29, 2021

13

Philosophy of Mind, Religion, Science}

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor did a recent podcast with Arjuna Das at Theology Unleashed, “where Eastern theology meets Western skepticism.” In the previous segment, they discussed the way in which epilepsy provides a glimpse into the way the mind is not simply the brain but has powers in its own right. In this segment, Dr. Egnor talks about the problems of being a non-materialist physician in a materialist world — death threats and all. Here is a partial transcript and notes for the 1 hour 44 minute mark to the 1 hour 56 minute mark: Arjuna Das: You said how scientists, if they reject physicalism, it doesn’t help their career. They might get less opportunities or less prestige or whatever… I Read More ›

Man with his back walking through the fog street

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News
Date
August 22, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Consciousness, free will, John Horgan, Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Physics, Theism}

Is a Science Writer’s “Agnosticism” a Futile Pursuit?

_{John Horgan, a creative thinker and able writer, is agnostic about quantum mechanics, consciousness, and God. But let’s look at the bases for that.} _{News
August 22, 2021

6

Philosophy, Religion, Science}

If science writer John Horgan had merely said that agnosticism is the only sensible stance regarding God, there would be little surprise. That view is over-represented in popular science writing. But he says the same thing about quantum mechanics and consciousness too. Some brief snippets from his article (with brief responses): He’s not happy that quantum mechanics, a well-established branch of science (our computers would not work if it were not real) cannot eliminate the role of the conscious observer: Quantum mechanics Introducing consciousness into physics undermines its claim to objectivity. Moreover, as far as we know, consciousness arises only in certain organisms that have existed for a brief period here on Earth. So how can quantum mechanics, if it’s Read More ›

Woman pray with bible, Asian woman believe in the prayer to God, Christian student pray for study to pass the exam in the library at the college .Bible and christian study concept

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News
Date
August 15, 2021

Categorized
Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind, Religion

Tagged
Andrew Newberg, Meditation (altering brain), Prayer, Prayer (altering brain)}

Researchers: Prolonged Meditation Alters the Brain

_{The changes were detected mainly in the frontal and parietal lobes} _{News
August 15, 2021

4

Neuroscience, Philosophy of Mind, Religion}

Andrew Newberg and colleagues have found that extended periods of prayer and meditationcan change the brain: We studied one such seven-day programme in Pennsylvania based on the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius. Our research on this retreat programme, which is typically conducted in silence and consists of extended periods of prayer and meditation, showed a number of differences in participants’ brains after the retreat compared with before it. For one, our study looked at the effects of the retreat programme on serotonin and dopamine, two critical neurotransmitters involved in many of our emotional and cognitive processes. The results suggested that a person’s brain becomes more sensitised to the effects of serotonin and dopamine, which might help us understand how retreat Read More ›

cute model of the Earth, Sun and Moon with googly eyes on the chalkboard, a donut, a globe and a cookie on the chalkboard

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News
Date
August 6, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Religion

Tagged
Science fiction}

When God Gets Distracted — Sci-fi Saturday

_{A clever animated short offers a take on why there is so much violence and chaos in the world} _{News
August 6, 2021

16

Arts & Culture, Religion}

“Tales from the Multiverse” uploaded at DUST by director Magnus Igland Møller (August 6, 2021, 6:36 min, animated) “God is a single parent and amateur programmer. He’s working on project ‘Earth’ but never seems to get a break from the kids. One day though, he finally gets a breakthrough.” Review: This film debuted in 2020 (IMDB). It’s a clever riff on why we live in a crazy world. God can’t really concentrate on the computer program he is using to simulate (create Earth) because he is breaking up fights between his kids. He tries out Adam and Eve, a round Earth and a flat Earth, and dinosaurs living alongside Stone Age people. But his absence, even when he seems to Read More ›

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Denyse O'Leary
Date
August 2, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion

Tagged
Casey Luskin, Yuval Noah Harari}

Religion Is Far Too Complex to Have a Single Evolution Story

_{Casey Luskin reflects on Yuval Noah Harari’s thesis that religion evolved through stages because humans needed it in order to co-operate in larger groups} _{Denyse O'Leary
August 2, 2021

5

Philosophy, Religion}

In Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2015), historian Yuval Noah Harari recounts a familiar sort of tale about the origin of religion. Casey Luskin, who has been reviewing the book, explains, Yuval Noah Harari tells the standard evolutionary story. According to this story, religion began as a form of animism among small bands of hunters and gatherers and then proceeded to polytheism and finally monotheism as group size grew with the first agricultural civilizations. At each stage, he argues, religion evolved in order to provide the glue that gave the group the cohesive unity it needed (at its given size) to cooperate and survive. Casey Luskin, “Reviewing Sapiens: Getting the Origin of Religion Backwards” at Evolution News and Science Read More ›

shamanic girl with frame drum on abstract structured space background.

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News
Date
August 2, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Military, Religion

Tagged
Science fiction (and Cancel Culture)}

A Glimpse of Sci-Fi in a World of Panpsychism — Sci-fi Saturday

_{Shamanism isn’t science, of course, but it makes more fictional sense in a sci-fi world where everything has a soul than one where nothing does} _{News
August 2, 2021

17

Arts & Culture, Military, Religion}

“The Shaman” at DUST (July 30, 2021) by Marco Kalantari (2015 at IMDB, 16:16) The dark year 2204, in a world that has seen 73 years of continuous war. Recently mankind re-discovered the arts of Shamanism. The Shaman’s school of thought believes that every person or object has a soul. During battle Shamans step over into the Netherworld to find and convert the souls of their enemies’ giant battle machines. This tactic enables a single man to overcome an invincibly seeming steel monster. This is the story of Joshua, a Shaman, who is sent on a mission to convert the soul of a giant battle colossus. He does not yet know that the soul is prepared for his coming and Read More ›

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News
Date
July 26, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Religion, Science

Tagged
Arjuna Das, Big Bang, Black hole, Causal closure, Featured, Materialism, Michael Egnor, Quantum Entanglement, Singularity, Theology Unleashed}

Why Neurosurgeon Mike Egnor Stopped Being a Materialist Atheist

_{He found that materialism is just not working out in science} _{News
July 26, 2021

11

Philosophy of Mind, Religion, Science}

Neurosurgeon Michael Egnor did another podcast with Arjuna Das at Theology Unleashed, “where Eastern theology meets Western skepticism.” Among other things, Egnor talked about why he ceased to be an atheist as he learned more about science and its dependence on mathematics, which is not a material thing. A partial transcript follows, taking us down to 15 minutes, with notes (more in a further installment): Arjuna Das: (00:01:49) Today, I’ve got Michael Egnor on. I’m very delighted to have him on for a second time. He’s a neurosurgeon, a Christian, and he’s quite good at arguing philosophy too… W So we’ll start out with him telling a little bit of a story, how he changed his metaphysical views through things Read More ›

Underpass near the subway in the city in the late evening

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News
Date
July 18, 2021

Categorized
Medicine and Health, Philosophy of Mind, Religion

Tagged
Near-death experiences}

Do Only Western Religious People Have Near-Death Experiences?

_{Even famous atheist philosopher A. J. Ayer had a near-death experience} _{News
July 18, 2021

3

Medicine and Health, Philosophy of Mind, Religion}

Gregory Shushan, author of Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions (2018) notes in a recent article at Psyche that near-death experiences are not a new discovery: NDEs have been popularly recognised in the West since the mid-1970s, but people from the largest empires to the smallest hunter-gatherer societies have been having them throughout history. Accounts are found in ancient sacred texts, historical documents, the journals of explorers and missionaries, and the ethnographic reports of anthropologists. Among the hundreds I’ve collected are those of a 7th-century BCE Chinese provincial ruler, a 4th-century BCE Greek soldier, a 12th-century Belgian saint, a 15th-century Mexica princess, an 18th-century British admiral, a 19th-century Ghanaian victim of human sacrifice, and a Soviet man who’d apparently killed himself Read More ›

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Michael Egnor
Date
July 11, 2021

Categorized
Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Casey Luskin, Darwinism, Featured, Marxism}

Remembering a Biologist’s Remarkable Confession of Faith

_{Is it scientific misconduct to make science about materialist atheism?} _{Michael Egnor
July 11, 2021

6

Philosophy, Religion, Science}

My friend and colleague Casey Luskin has penned a poignant essay in memory of Richard Lewontin, a Harvard evolutionary biologist who passed away at 92 recently. Casey is a gentleman and a scholar, and very much disposed to finding the best in people. Indeed it seems there was much that was very good in Lewontin’s persona, and Casey highlighted it beautifully in his encomium. I am not of the opinion, however, that we should speak only good of the dead. The passing of a public figure is a good time to consider his impact, and Lewontin’s impact on American culture and science is something very much worth considering. By all accounts, Lewontin was a gentleman and a good friend and Read More ›

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News
Date
July 3, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Religion, Science

Tagged
Nothingness (as concept), Science fiction}

What Happens If Earth Passes Through a Black Hole—Sci-fi Saturday

_{This story isn’t exactly about passage through a black hole: It is a meditation on nothingness that crashes headfirst into nihilism} _{News
July 3, 2021

14

Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Religion, Science}

“Until There Was Nothing” at DUST by Paul Trillo (August 25, 2020, 5:36 min) “A philosophical video and art exploration of the Earth’s passage through a black hole.” Review: This film is actually a philosophical meditation on nothingness — the concept of non-entity, as every concept of mathematics, physics, natural law, and order vanishes. Gravity reverses itself at odd moments for no particular reason. Terrifying. Whether the filmmakers intended this or not, it is really a meditation on the way the fundamental constants of the universe work. And what would happen if they didn’t. For more, see the Kalam Constant, a philosophical proof of the existence of God. — A note re our new feature below: We sort reviewed films Read More ›

African American woman studing and reading the Bible.

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News
Date
June 20, 2021

Categorized
Medicine and Health, Religion

Tagged
Correlation vs. causation, Longevity}

Does Religious Belief Help People Think in a More Complex Way?

_{One psychologist became interested in the question because many studies have associated religious belief with better health and greater longevity} _{News
June 20, 2021

4

Medicine and Health, Religion}

University of South Florida psychologist Jay L. Michaels, who has a background in experimental social psychology and quantitative psychology, designed a study to test that proposition: In the study, 630 adults from from 48 countries completed a cognitive assessment in which they were asked to pick a phrase that best described a given behavior. They had the choice of picking a high-level description (which focused on why the action was performed) or a low-level description (which focused on mechanistic aspects of the action.) For example, one item asked whether “reading” was better described as “Gaining knowledge” or “Following lines of print.” Eric W. Dolan, “New study links intrinsic religious motivation to higher-level patterns of thought” at PsyPost (May 22, 2021) Read More ›

Coronavirus covid-19. Child praying to God requesting that the coronavirus covid 19 not spread beyond control.

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post

News
Date
June 20, 2021

Categorized
Medicine and Health, Religion

Tagged
spirituality}

Side effects: COVID Got People Praying Again

_{Despite the fact that many could not go to houses of worship} _{News
June 20, 2021

4

Medicine and Health, Religion}

McLean Hospital psychologist David H. Rosmarin has the stats: In the early days of the pandemic, economist Jeanet Bentzen of the University of Copenhagen examined Google searches for the word “prayer” in 95 countries. She identified that they hit an all-time global high in March 2020, and increases occurred in lockstep with the number of COVID-19 cases identified in each country. Stateside, according to the Pew Research Center, 55 percent of Americans prayed to end the spread of the novel coronavirus in March 2020, and nearly one quarter reported that their faith increased the following month, despite limited access to houses of worship. David H. Rosmarin, “Psychiatry Needs to Get Right with God” at Scientific American (June 15, 2021) Not Read More ›