Freethought & Rationalism Archive

CX · 06-09-2003, 10:30 AM

I'm looking for a comprehensive list of serious theistic arguments (i.e. not a satirical "Therefore, God Exists" list). The categories of arguments I am familiar with are:

Cosmological Arguments
Ontological Arguments
Teleological Arguments
Pascal's Wager
Transcendental Arguments
Arguments from Experience
Arguments from the Bible

Any others would be greatly appreciated.

Wyz_sub10 · 06-09-2003, 10:39 AM

Thomas Aquinas' "Law Maker Proof" and Augustine's "Greatest Necessary Being".

Silent Dave · 06-09-2003, 11:37 AM

Moral argument. Don't forget that one. Also argument from the Resurrection, which is a favorite and doesn't always rely on the Bible. Also pragmatic arguments aside from Pascal's Wager.

Dave

CX · 06-09-2003, 12:24 PM

I think both the "Law Maker" and the "Moral" arguments fall udner the umbrella of TA.

Calzaer · 06-09-2003, 12:41 PM

Which one would Argument from Ignorance (or "God of the Gaps") fall under?

Lohan · 06-09-2003, 01:21 PM

There is always what I like to call the "Argument from Uniqueness" where Christians claim that no other religion has a savior performing great miracles and rising from the dead, so therefore Christianity must be the greatest religion and must be true.

Amaranth · 06-09-2003, 02:11 PM

One of the favorites around here is the tried and true Argument from Popularity. That one shouldn't be left off any good list.

Family Man · 06-09-2003, 05:24 PM

There is always the Historical Argument -- you know that sad argument that says the Christianity would have not arisen had Jesus not risen. It's restricted to Christianity, I know, but it's still common.

Violent Messiah · 06-09-2003, 09:13 PM

Pascal's Wager is actually not a proof for God's existence......it's a false sense of security for believers.

Well, add to the list "Argument from Belief"....

njhartsh · 06-11-2003, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Family Man wrote:
There is always the Historical Argument -- you know that sad argument that says the Christianity would have not arisen had Jesus not risen. It's restricted to Christianity, I know...

Aww--no, it isn't.

"Islam could not have spread to the 1.1 billion people by now if the Archangel Gabriel hadn't truly dictated the Qur'an to Muhammad."

"The survival of the Jewish people through six thousand years of travails--through persecution by Egypt, Rome and the Nazis (among many others)--proves that God has long been protecting them."

"Mormonism would not have 5.2 million members in the United States, and millions more worldwide, if the angel Moroni had not communicated with Joseph Smith."

And the kicker: "If there is no God, how do you explain that theism has successfully spread to nearly five billion people? Clearly a supernatural force has been watching over it."

As this list makes clear, the Historical Argument is really only the Argument from Popularity in retrospect. Though that doesn't mean it doesn't belong on the list!

- Nathan

06-09-2003, 10:30 AM	#1
CX Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Portlandish Posts: 2,829	Comprehensive List of Theistic Arguments I'm looking for a comprehensive list of serious theistic arguments (i.e. not a satirical "Therefore, God Exists" list). The categories of arguments I am familiar with are: Cosmological Arguments Ontological Arguments Teleological Arguments Pascal's Wager Transcendental Arguments Arguments from Experience Arguments from the Bible Any others would be greatly appreciated.

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06-09-2003, 10:39 AM	#2
Wyz_sub10 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the land of two boys and no sleep. Posts: 9,890	Thomas Aquinas' "Law Maker Proof" and Augustine's "Greatest Necessary Being".

06-09-2003, 11:37 AM	#3
Silent Dave Banned Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Bloomington, MN Posts: 2,209	Moral argument. Don't forget that one. Also argument from the Resurrection, which is a favorite and doesn't always rely on the Bible. Also pragmatic arguments aside from Pascal's Wager. Dave

06-09-2003, 12:24 PM	#4
CX Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Portlandish Posts: 2,829	I think both the "Law Maker" and the "Moral" arguments fall udner the umbrella of TA.

06-09-2003, 12:41 PM	#5
Calzaer Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,762	Which one would Argument from Ignorance (or "God of the Gaps") fall under?

06-09-2003, 01:21 PM	#6
Lohan Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Somewhere far beyond Posts: 57	There is always what I like to call the "Argument from Uniqueness" where Christians claim that no other religion has a savior performing great miracles and rising from the dead, so therefore Christianity must be the greatest religion and must be true.

06-09-2003, 02:11 PM	#7
Amaranth Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City Posts: 279	One of the favorites around here is the tried and true Argument from Popularity. That one shouldn't be left off any good list.

06-09-2003, 05:24 PM	#8
Family Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Superior, CO USA Posts: 1,553	There is always the Historical Argument -- you know that sad argument that says the Christianity would have not arisen had Jesus not risen. It's restricted to Christianity, I know, but it's still common.

06-09-2003, 09:13 PM	#9
Violent Messiah Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: The Bleed (Gateway of Worlds) Posts: 170	Pascal's Wager is actually not a proof for God's existence......it's a false sense of security for believers. Well, add to the list "Argument from Belief"....

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