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Debates Great Debate


God or Blind Nature?

Philosophers Debate the Evidence (2007-2008)

Edited and with Introductions by

Paul Draper

General Introduction and Acknowledgements

Section One: Mind and Will

Introduction to Section One

Meet the Authors: Andrew Melnyk, Stewart Goetz, and Charles Taliaferro


Melnyk’s Argument

 


A Case for Physicalism about the Human Mind

 


Goetz & Taliaferro’s Objections

 


Objections to Melnyk’s Case for Physicalism

 


Melnyk’s Reply

 


Physicalism and the First-Person Point of View

 


Goetz & Taliaferro’s Argument

 


An Argument from Consciousness and Free Will

 


Melnyk’s Objections

 


Naturalism, Free Choices, and Conscious Experiences

 


Goetz & Taliaferro’s Reply

 


Reply to Melnyk’s Objections

 

Section Two: Evil and Evolution

Introduction to Section Two

Meet the Authors: Paul Draper and Alvin Plantinga


Draper’s Argument

 


Natural Selection and the Problem of Evil

 


Plantinga’s Objections

 


Objections to Draper’s Argument from Evil

 


Draper’s Reply

 


On the Plausibility of Naturalism and the Seriousness

of Arguments from Evil

 


Plantinga’s Argument

 


Naturalism vs. Evolution: A Religion/Science Conflict?

 


Draper’s Objections

 


In Defense of Sensible Naturalism

 


Plantinga’s Reply

 


Against “Sensible” Naturalism

 

Section Three: Science and the Cosmos

Introduction to Section Three

Meet the Authors: Quentin Smith, Paul Draper, and Robin Collins


Smith’s Argument

 


A Cosmological Argument for a Self-Caused Universe

 


Collins’ Objections

 


Objections to Smith’s Cosmological Argument

 


Draper & Smith’s Reply

 


Collins on Cannons and Cosmology

 


Collins’ Argument

 


The Case for Cosmic Design

 


Draper’s Objections

 


Collins’ Case for Cosmic Design

 


Collins’ Reply

 


Clarifying the Case for Cosmic Design

 

Section Four: Faith and Uncertainty

Introduction to Section Four

Meet the Authors: John Schellenberg and Jeffrey Jordan


Schellenberg’s Argument

 


What Divine Hiddenness Reveals, or How Weak Theistic Evidence is Strong Atheistic Proof

 


Jordan’s Objections

 


The Sounds of Silence: Why the Divine Hiddenness Argument Fails

 


Schellenberg’s Reply

 


The Sounds of Silence Stilled: A Reply to Jordan on Hiddenness

 


Jordan’s Argument

 


Theistic Belief and Religious Uncertainty

 


Schellenberg’s Objections

 


Jordan’s Jamesian Wager

 


Jordan’s Reply

 


On Joining the Ranks of the Faithful