Author Archives: Dwight

Fixing Classical Arguments

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Dwight

In my last post, I wrote about how the premises of classical deductive arguments could be construed as either statements of logical definition or of observed fact. I argued that philosophers often confound the two and, as a result, either … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith & Reason, Meaning & Value, Naturalism | Comments Off on Fixing Classical Arguments

God and Other Minds

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Dwight

Theists like to point out that we can never prove that others (besides ourselves) have minds. The person sitting in the chair next to me may be carrying on quite a lively conversation—but how can I be sure there’s really … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith & Reason, Naturalism, Theologians | 3 Comments

Atheism and Common Sense

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Dwight

Theists often think of atheists—especially new atheists—as people who take an extreme position by closing their eyes to the obvious existence of God. In fact, atheism is eyes wide open. The atheist turns off the tv show, stops the movie, … Continue reading →

Posted in Naturalism, Non-Existence Arguments | 10 Comments

Hector Avalos – Six Anti-Secularist Themes

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Dwight

There’s a great article by Hector Avalos over at debunkingchristianity which I heartily recommend. Dr. Avalos is a professor of Biblical Studies at Iowa State University and the targets of his post are six rhetorical devices commonly used by “religionist” … Continue reading →

Posted in Debates, The Bible | Comments Off on Hector Avalos – Six Anti-Secularist Themes

Do Test Tube Babies Have Souls?

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Dwight

Last month God and China got pissed off at the committee that awards the Nobel Prize. China because the Peace Prize went to someone they threw in prison for advocating democracy. And God?  Well, Robert Edwards won the Nobel Prize … Continue reading →

Posted in Afterlife & Immortality, Christianity | 42 Comments

The Argument from Perfection

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Dwight

Either God is imperfect, God does not exist, or God did not create the physical world. Such is the conclusion to which we are driven by one of the most compelling atheist arguments. The argument from perfection is closely related … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles Highlighted, Atheology, Non-Existence Arguments | 14 Comments

Antony Flew is Dead

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Dwight

When I was a young atheist, the well-known British philosopher Antony Flew was perhaps the world’s most prominent advocate of atheism. The legendary Bertrand Russell was already dead and gone. Another atheist, Carl Sagan was better-known than Flew, but not … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheologians, Debates | 7 Comments

Spiritual or Religious?

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Dwight

“Do you consider yourself a spiritual man or a religious man?” “Well, I don’t like that dichotomy of matter and spirit very much, so you can say I consider myself a religious man.” [Interview with Wendell Berry by Thomas P. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheist Culture | Comments Off on Spiritual or Religious?

Let’s Make a Deal

Posted on June 27, 2010 by Dwight

I’m a fan of Michael Shermer, a prominent atheist and skeptic who writes a column on skepticism for Scientific American. But in an article entitled “How Randomness Rules Our World and Why We Cannot See It” he has fallen for … Continue reading →

Posted in Naturalism | Comments Off on Let’s Make a Deal

Cosmological Arguments

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Dwight

The Cosmological Argument is perhaps the classic argument for the existence of a God. Thomas Aquinas included it in his famous Five Ways, although over the years his argument has been constantly refashioned. It lives on in several distinct versions. I bring … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Cosmological, Existence Arguments, Naturalism, Non-Existence Arguments | 3 Comments