Within Reason #137 Debunking Arguments for God - Graham Oppy
80 snips
Jan 4, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, philosopher Graham Oppy, a leading critic of theism and author of 'Arguing About Gods,' delves into a variety of arguments for the existence of God. He critiques cosmological arguments, including the Kalam and Modal Ontological Arguments, and debates concepts like fine-tuning and the multiverse. Oppy explains the limits of hierarchical causation and challenges the notion of necessary beings. With sharp insights, he navigates through complex philosophical terrain, making a compelling case for atheism.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Principle Of Sufficient Reason Matters
- Many cosmological arguments rely on a Principle of Sufficient Reason: things that occur have explanations.
- Graham Oppy warns the principle must allow indeterministic explanations to stay plausible.
Sufficient Reason Doesn’t Require Determinism
- A plausible sufficient-reason principle needn't entail determinism.
- Oppy accepts explanations that permit indeterministic causation rather than strict necessitation.
Two Kinds Of Causal Chains
- Distinguish horizontal (per-se) from hierarchical (per-accidens) causation when assessing regress.
- Hierarchical chains that borrow causal power look like they must terminate in a non-borrowed source.
