Chris Wright ponders Plato’s masterplan. One of the purposes of Plato’s Republic is to put forth a conception of the ‘just state’. Plato describes how such a state would be organized, who would govern it, what sort of education the children would have, and so on. He goes into great detail, laying out ideas that may at times …
Wendell Wallach tells us what the basic problems are.If a train continues on its current course, it will kill a workcrew of five down the track. However, a signalman is standing by a switch that can redirect the train to another branch. Unfortunately, a lone worker will be killed if the train is switched to …
Ching-Hung Woo says freedom is compatible with choices being determined. We commonly think it obvious that a person facing multiple alternatives can choose any of them, and that the outcome is decided by free will at the moment of decision, rather than being already determined by earlier causes. All the events in the world, however, obey …
Are we free or are our actions determined by the laws of physics? And how much free will do we actually want? These questions have troubled philosophers for millennia – and there are still no perfect answers. But it turns out that a character from a children’s TV series can provide a clue. Thomas the Tank Engine, despite …
Do we have free will – and do we want it? Thomas the Tank Engine offers clues Read More »
Stuart Hannabuss journeys into the human condition with Søren Kierkegaard. We tend to think of faith as a matter of personal choice. It is very much up to you, we say, wishing to give other people the space to live their lives their way. We might think of ourselves all on a journey through life, growing …
Scientists have discovered that our universe displays an incredible degree of fine-tuning. This fine-tuning, found in the laws of physics, makes it possible for life to exist. And it is so improbable that it strongly implies God designed the universe. Unsurprisingly, atheists reject this conclusion and their best alternative explanation is to claim that a …
How the Multiverse Destroys the Design Inference for Anything Read More »
When Charles Darwin published his landmark book The Origin of Species, he recognized that the burden of proof was on him if he was going to explain the evident design of biological life apart from the actions of an intelligent mind. And this he sought to do by providing an explanation for how species originated …
The notion of hell is not a popular idea. Those who regard themselves as scientifically informed and morally enlightened, usually regard hell as something that belongs to the superstitious and religious past. For these atheists, agnostics, and “progressive Christians” it might be understandable how people in the Medieval Era could succumb to such nonsense, but …
Is it Fair for God to Punish People Eternally in Hell? Read More »
The idea of a literal, eternal hell is not something that modern people regard with respect. In fact, the very notion that hell could exist is usually regarded with derision and scorn. And those who believe it is real are often regarded as religious zealots who accept superstitious nonsense. Jesus’ View on Hell But I …
(Short summary) In this study that also have been published in multiple world languages as a book, the author examines the factors that cause the absurdity of the world and the human life. He searches for the methods to cease these, or, to weaken their power and to lessen their weight on the human consciousness. …
Z. Demme: Struggling against the Absurdities of the Human Existence Read More »