Arguments for God's Existence: Recent Work on Ancient Arguments | Prof. Robert Koons
Dec 29, 2020
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Philosopher Robert Koons discusses arguments for God's existence, including empirical knowledge, causation, scientific reasoning, cosmological arguments, fine-tuning in the universe, and the impact of theism on scientific understanding. The conversation explores the Grim Reaper Paradox, anthropic coincidences in the laws of nature, quantum physics, and objections to cosmological fine-tuning and intelligent design arguments.
A first cause is necessary for empirical knowledge, distinguishing contingent things from an uncausable, necessary God.
God's simplicity implies intrinsic goodness, with actions stemming solely from the value of creations.
Challenges to traditional causality arise from modern physics, indicating phenomena like zero-energy modes and unaccounted causal relationships.
Deep dives
Causality and Special Pleading
The podcast delves into philosophical and scientific arguments for a supernatural cause of the universe. While the principle of causality is explored emphasizing the necessity of a cause for empirical knowledge and everyday experiences, objections regarding special pleading are addressed. The concept of a first cause not applying to God is discussed, highlighting the distinction between contingent natural things and an uncausable, necessary being like God.
Goodness of God
Discussions in the podcast also touch upon the nature of God's goodness in relation to his metaphysical attributes. The argument is made that if God is posited to be an absolutely simple being, devoid of biases or limitations, then his intrinsic motivation can only be goodness itself. By being uncomplicated in his actions, responding solely to the inherent value of creations, God's simplicity implies inherent goodness.
Empirical Knowledge and Uncaused Phenomena
Challenges to traditional empirical knowledge and universal causality are raised by examples from modern physics, such as zero-energy modes in quantum mechanics. The podcast highlights instances like the movement of a spring without a discernible cause or fluctuations in quantum fields to illustrate phenomena that appear uncaused or not accounted for by traditional causal relationships.
Causation and Time in Quantum Field Theory
The discussion delves into how causation is perceived in the context of the quantum field theory, emphasizing that the human-centric argument around causation may not apply universally. It explores the notion that the universe may not have had a singular beginning, with physicists considering cyclical universe models. Additionally, the podcast touches on the anthropic coincidences and the intricate fine-tuning required for life to exist, suggesting that these phenomena either point towards a divine design or a multiverse explanation.
The Debate on Divine Simplicity and Evolutionary Arguments
Another focal point is the debate surrounding divine simplicity and evolutionary arguments, particularly addressing objections to Thomas Aquinas' doctrine of divine simplicity. The conversation evaluates how evolutionary reasoning intersects with concepts like knowledge acquisition, highlighting the challenges presented to naturalism by arguments focused on scientific, philosophical, and moral knowledge. Additionally, the discourse explores potential rebuttals to evolutionary arguments, including the role of causal factors in determining the content of beliefs and the inherent limitations of natural selection in explaining deep-seated cognitive aptitudes.
This lecture was delivered on October 23, 2020 at Florida State University. Prof. Koons' lecture concludes around the 28:50 mark. The rest of the recording is Q&A with students.
For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website: thomisticinstitute.org
Speaker Bio:
Robert C. (“Rob”) Koons is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has taught for 33 years. M. A. Oxford, Ph.D. UCLA. He is the author or co-author of four books, including: Realism Regained (Oxford University Press, 2000), and The Atlas of Reality: A Comprehensive Guide to Metaphysics, with Timothy H. Pickavance (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017). He is the co-editor (with George Bealer) of The Waning of Materialism (Oxford University Press, 2010), and co-editor (with Nicholas Teh and William Simpson) of Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives on Contemporary Science (Routledge, 2018). He has been working recently on an Aristotelian interpretation of quantum theory, on defending and articulating Thomism in contemporary terms, and on arguments for classical theism.
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