Showing posts with label reason. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reason. Show all posts

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Same-Sex Marriage: Anne Hathaway, Reason, and Rhetoric

Popular actress Anne Hathaway, who recently starred as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, received an award in 2008 from the Human Rights Campaign, an organization dedicated to the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. In her acceptance speech, Hathaway explained why she supports homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Read carefully the reasons she offers:


“In my household, being gay was, and is, no big deal. When my brother came out, we hugged him, said we loved him, and that was that…Just for the record, we don’t feel that there is actually anything alternative about our family values…I don’t consider myself just an ally to the LGBT community, I consider myself your family…if anyone, ever, tries to hurt you, I’m going to give them hell…There are people who have said that I’m being brave for being openly supportive of gay marriage, gay adoption, basically of gay rights. But with all due respect I humbly dissent. I’m not being brave. I’m being a decent human being. And I don’t think I should receive an award for that, or for merely stating what I believe to be true, that love is a human experience, not a political statement. However, I acknowledge that sadly we live in a world where not everybody feels the same. My family and I will help the good fight continue until that long awaited moment arrives, when our rights are equal and when the political limits on love have been smashed.”

Sunday, April 29, 2012

A Good Reason to Rally?

by Ronald Scott Smith. Posted with permission.

portrait of R. Scott SmithAt the “Reason Rally” in Washington, secular, atheistic people gathered in support of “reason” over [mere] “faith” of religious people. Not so hidden in the background was the widely-held cultural mindset that science uses reason and uniquely gives us knowledge of truth (the facts). But religion gives us just personal opinions and preferences, not knowledge. This bifurcation often is called the “fact-value split.”

This science is naturalistic; only what is scientifically knowable (i.e., by the five senses) is real. In principle, such things as God, souls, and mental states (i.e., non-physical things like thoughts, beliefs, and experiences) cannot be known to be real. Or, simplifying, they don’t exist. Yet, we can test natural, physical stuff scientifically, so that is what is believed to be real. That view of reality is the philosophy undergirding atheistic evolution by natural selection (NS) – naturalism. There’s only the physical universe, without anything non-physical.


Monday, May 24, 2010

A 'Religious' Problem

For the third time this week, someone said to me, "I'm not really a religious person," so I'd like to respond to what might be a common misunderstanding of the Christian religion. It made me wonder how a "religious" person is different from a regular person. If these three friends represented only anecdotal accounts, it wouldn't be worth blogging about, but I fear it represents an underlying assumption that's widely held.

Last month, famous biologist and UCI professor Dr. Francisco Ayala donated $1.5 million dollars to a UCI genetics program. Dr. Ayala was awarded the Templeton Prize in March which comes with the cash prize matching this gift he gave to the University. The Templeton Foundation was impressed by Ayala's work in solving the problem of faith and science. In reference to this, Ayala told the press "We don't have belief in evolution; belief is accepting something for which we have no evidence" ($1.5 Million Dollar Prize Donated to UCI, Orange County Register, April 22, 2010, Local 3) So, according to Ayala, once we relegate faith to the private and personal realm, and we allow science to determine the reality of our daily lives, the problem goes away. In short, science is objective; religious belief is not.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Who Has the Burden of Proof?

Probably one of the most important ideas to grasp concerning argumentation and debate is the issue of burden of proof. In his book Tactics, Greg Koukl dedicates an entire chapter to this topic (see chapter 4). What do we mean by "burden of proof"? Greg Koukl defines it this way:

The burden of proof is the responsibility someone has to defend or give evidence for his view. Generally, the rule can be summed up this way: Whoever makes the claim bears the burden. The key here is not to allow yourself to be thrust into a defensive position when the other person is making the claim. It's not your duty to prove him wrong. It's his duty to prove his view.(1)

It doesn't matter whether you are discussing theology, philosophy, politics or ethics, the burden of proof rule is a crucial one to remember. It prevents you from being unjustly placed in a defensive position and forces the individual making the claim to carry his own load.

EXAMPLE #1: THERE IS NO GOD!

Perhaps you have been in a conversation or overheard one that goes something like this:

Skeptic: There is no God.

Christian: Really? How do you know that?

Skeptic: Well, how do you know there is a God?

Notice what has happened here. The skeptic started out the conversation by making a truth claim. In this case, he is making the claim "there is no God." The Christian rightly asks the question "How do you know that?" in order for the skeptic to provide justification for his position, as he should. After all, the skeptic is the one making the claim. Therefore, the skeptic bears the burden of proof in this case. But the skeptic doesn't accept it! Instead, he tactfully (and wrongly) attempts to shift the burden of proof to the Christian!

So how should the Christian respond? Should he answer the question? Should he accept the burden of proof? Should he give a three hour lecture on the kalam cosmological argument? No! Why not? Because he is not the one who made the claim. Instead, the Christian should point out to the skeptic that since it is the skeptic who made the claim it is his job to support it. The conversation might continue like this:

Skeptic: Well, how do you know there is a God?

Christian: Wait, hold on a minute. You started out this conversation by making the claim that there is no God. Since you made the original claim, the burden of proof is on you to provide some reasons or evidences as to why you think you are right. I am not going to accept any burden of proof at this point because I have not made any claims. So again, how do you know there is no God?

EXAMPLE #2: THE BURNING BUSH

Here is another scenario. Recently I was speaking with a friend of mine who is Roman Catholic. We began discussing the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (a five dollar word for sure, this is the idea that the bread and wine during communion actually become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ when the priest consecrates it.) As a Protestant, I disagree with the doctrine of transubstantiation and do not believe this is what the Bible teaches regarding the nature of communion. On the other hand, my Roman Catholic friend beliefs it wholeheartedly.

During our conversation, my friend attempted to defend the idea that God could take on the form of material objects by pointing to Exodus 3 where he claimed that God actually took on the form of the burning bush when He spoke with Moses. If God can become a bush, why can't he become the bread and wine in communion? That was his line of reasoning. Our conversation went something like this:

Roman Catholic: In Exodus it says that God took on the form of a burning bush and spoke to Moses. If he could do that, why couldn't he become the bread and wine?

Me: Actually, Exodus 3 does not say that God literally became the burning bush. Verse 2 says, "The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush." There is nothing in the text that says God became the bush. It wasn't necessary for God to do so in order to make His presence known "from the midst of the bush" and speak to Moses.

Roman Catholic: Well it doesn't say He didn't become the burning bush either! Where does it say that He didn't become the bush?

***Notice he has shifted the burden of proof.

Me: Wait a second. You are the one who brought this text up in support of your position. You are the one who made the original claim. Therefore, the burden of proof is on you to demonstrate that this text is saying what you are claiming it says.

Roman Catholic: But you are making a claim too! You are claiming God didn't become the bush! Show me where it says that!

***This conversation (can I call it ridiculous?) carried on for about half an hour.

Me: But as I mentioned, the burden of proof is on you since you made the claim. Whoever makes the claim bears the burden of proof. My only claim is that you have not made your case. You can't base your argument or evidence on what the text doesn't say. That is an argument from silence. Besides this, even if I grant that you are right on this point, it doesn't follow from this that transubstantiation is true.

Again, notice what happened here. First, my friend started out by making a truth claim, i.e. that God actually became the burning bush. I pointed out to him that there is no evidence or reason from the text to believe this.

Second, my friend attempted to shift the burden of proof to me by implying that it was not his duty to prove himself right but rather my job to prove him wrong!

In response to all of this, I pointed out three problems with his reasoning:

First, I rightly pointed out that, despite what he may think, the burden of proof rests with him. I tried to explain this to him as clearly as I could but in the end I don't think the information stuck.

Second, I pointed out that he was committing a logical fallacy: an argument from silence. Notice his statement above. During our conversation he implied that because the text does not say God didn't become the bush that this is somehow evidence that God did become the bush! The obvious problem with this fallacious reasoning is that you cannot base your argument or evidence on what the text doesn't say! That commits a logical fallacy, an argument from silence.

Third, I pointed out that even if he was correct in assuming God actually became the burning bush, it wouldn't follow from this that transubstantiation is true! Why not focus on more important passages in the New Testament that Roman Catholic apologists use to defend their views? Ultimately this was a silly conversation that got us nowhere.

CONVERSATIONAL TIPS:

First, never accept the burden of proof if it isn't yours to bear. Explain the rule "whoever makes the claim bears the burden." Of course, if you do make claims, be prepared to give reasons or arguments as to why you think you're right.

Second, don't get frustrated (as I did after a half hour of meaningless debate) when speaking with someone who seemingly is not willing to follow the basic rules of argumentation and logic. In cases such as this it is unlikely the conversation will ever be productive, or even get off the ground.

Third, explain yourself as best as possible. Stop, think for a moment, and pick your words carefully so you are able to speak as clearly and persuasively as possible.

Fourth, don't waste your time discussing issues that are distracting from the main topic. These are red herrings. Instead, focus in on the question under discussion and try to redirect the conversation toward more foundational and relevant matters.

Fifth, in the end, you may just have to "agree to disagree." If your interlocutor is refusing to be reasonable or abide by certain conversational rules it may be best to simply end the discussion on a friendly note and try again next time (if you dare).
______________________________________________

(1) Greg Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, 59.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Why Atheists Need God

A précis based on the book Persuasions by Douglas Wilson

What this Book is About:

Persuasions – A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief, by Douglas Wilson, is a story of a man named Evangelist who is journeying on a road towards the City. In his travels Evangelist encounters various people who are walking in the opposite direction towards the Abyss. Conversations ensue and Evangelist attempts to persuade these individuals to change their direction of travel. He uses reason and a Socratic style of questioning to expose the inconsistencies in their false thinking and answer common objections. In the end this story is a picture of our journey through life and our call to be thoroughly equipped ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Like Evangelist we have a responsibility to warn those who are heading away from the City of God and we must always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us.


Chapter 6: Mark - Atheism:

In chapter six of Persuasions, Evangelist meets a man named Mark who identifies himself as both a scientist and an atheist. A conversation follows in which Evangelist argues that the existence of reason only makes sense within a theistic worldview.

As Mark walks down the road toward the Abyss, he is approached by Evangelist who gives him a piece of paper which speaks about God. Mark brushes aside the tract and disregards any talk of God because he says he does not believe in fairy tales. Evangelist responds "If you object to 'fairy tales,' then why do you borrow from them?" (Wilson, 43). Mark explains that as a scientist he believes in the theory of evolution and that everything we see is the result of time, chance, and matter. He is a materialist who believes nothing exists apart from this process. Evangelist then asks "Why do you believe in the validity of reason? How can time and chance, acting on matter, produce reason?" (Wilson, 44).

Evangelist continues and explains that a chemical reaction observed in a laboratory is neither true nor false. It just is. And if our beliefs are also simply a product of time, chance, and matter, then neither can they be characterized as true or false. They just are. On Mark's view, our beliefs are nothing more than chemical reactions within our head. But if this is true then it makes no sense to characterize some beliefs as true and some as false. Evangelist has exposed the inconsistency in Mark's worldview. He wishes to object to belief in the existence of God because he thinks it to be false and yet his worldview does not permit the existence of true and false beliefs.

The point Evangelist is making is that the existence of reason only makes sense within a theistic worldview. In order for atheists to argue their case that evolution is true and that God does not exist they have to believe that there are actually good reasons for believing these things. But appealing to reason implies that something exists apart from the material universe and assumes that we can get beyond our pre-determined beliefs to establish what is true, that is, what corresponds to reality. The existence of reason and the ability to discover true beliefs only makes sense if God exists. Hence, Evangelist states, "My question is why the proponents of evolution borrow reason from theism to argue their case" (Wilson, 44).

So it is not the case that the existence of God depends on reason but rather the existence of reason depends on God. Evangelist states, "Reason flows out of His nature" (Wilson, 45). Mark now finds himself in a dilemma. He used to reject the existence of God because he thought he had good reason. Now he realizes that the existence of reason actually presupposes that which he is trying to argue against. Mark can no longer give reasons for his atheism because in order to do so he must borrow from theism. His worldview prevents him from using rationale so that his "atheism must rest on an unsupported presupposition, not on any claim to reason" (Wilson, 45). Evangelist concludes that "The only thing standing between you and God is your unwillingness to have anything to do with Him" (Wilson, 45).

Before the conversation ends, Evangelist encourages Mark to ponder one last thing. If Mark cannot give any reasons for his decision to rebel against God then the source of rebellion must come from somewhere else. Evangelist encourages Mark to investigate the area of morality. Perhaps the reason Mark rejects God is because Mark does not want to live the way God has instructed him to. If this is true then it is not the case that Mark has intellectual problems with the existence of God but rather a problem of volition. Ignoring this observation, Mark continues down the road toward the Abyss despite his not having any reason to do so.