Existence Of God Research Articles

Kim and the Pairing Problem for Dualism

The philosophical history of metaphysics of mind can be narrowed into two problems: Mind and body causation and issues of the self or persons. Due to the rise of the scientific revolution the nature of mental states and its possessors has been reduced to brain and cognitive functioning or eliminated instead of the ontological basic substance of a soul. The other criticism of soul identity or substance dualism is the problem of mental causation. In The Blackwell Companion to Substance Dualism (2018), Jaegwon Kim argues against the intelligibility of Cartesian dualism and further extends that argument to any form of substance dualism by raising the question of mental causation or the traditional mind-body problem. His main attack comes from the essence of mind and the causal closure of the physical, together these provide an argument against the non-physical view of persons. The question, “can mental events cause physical events?” Is a problem for the dualist which he calls “the pairing problem.” Since causation requires a spatiotemporal relation between two bodies, and mind and body are distinct substances or properties, there’s no cause-and-effect pairing relation between minds and physical objects or bodies. Thus, according to Kim, the essence of an immaterial thinking substance, such as a soul, is unintelligible and should be rejected since it fails to answer the pairing problem. However, Kim has a misunderstanding of substance dualist views of the independent ontological status of a substantial self or soul. Further, Kim’s challenge does not take into account a causal powers ontology in which primitive is the free agentive causal subject. I’ll argue that a soul, though embodied, is a non-material primitive substance that has basic faculties to exemplify mental properties. One of the faculties of the soul is the instantiation of active agency. Further, the postulation of Gods existence, having a metaphysical internal structure and powers, is grounds for the existence of a soul with its own metaphysical, unified structure in which the dispositional properties of consciousness are located and exemplified. I conclude that mental causation is a coherent notion especially in light of the active powers of agent causation. Thus, Kim’s problem of mental causation becomes no problem at all.

Analisis Psikologi Tokoh dan Nilai Moral dalam Novel Surat Dari Bapak Karya Gol A Gong serta Pemanfaatannya sebagai Bahan Ajar di SMA

This study aims to (1) describe the psychological aspects of the main character in Gol A Gong's Novel Surat dari Bapak; (2) describe the moral values ​​in the novel Surat Dari Bapak by Gol A Gong; and (3) describe its use as teaching materials in SMA. The main character psychological theory used in this study is the psychoanalytic theory by Sigmund Freud which consists of three personality structures, namely: the id found 9 data, the ego found 4 data, and the superego found 3 data. Furthermore, the theory of moral values ​​used is the fictional assessment theory put forward by Nurgiyantoro which consists of three relations of problems in life, including the relationship between humans and oneself found 11 data which include firm stance, calm, careful, self-esteem, independent, and aware error; human relations with the social sphere found 14 data including loyalty, social care, courtesy, parental love for children, and critical; and the relationship between humans and God found 3 data including believing in the existence of God. This type of research is descriptive qualitative. The research subject is the novel Surat dari Bapak by Gol A Gong. The object of research is the psychology of the main character and the moral value of the novel Surat dari Bapak. The source of the data is the story description of the novel Surat dari Bapak by Gol A Gong published by Puspa Swara. This data collection technique uses observation techniques. The research instrument was a researcher assisted by a literary support book and notes. The data analysis technique uses content analysis techniques.

Practical Gods: Carl Dennis’s Secularized Religious Visions

This paper examines Carl Dennis’s secularized religious visions in his Pulitzer-winning poetry collection, Practical Gods (2001). Dennis’s secularized religious visions can be quite understandable in the context of the ascending trends of secularization, diversification, and globalization of religion in America, and they demonstrate affinities with literary predecessors such as Wallace Stevens, with his aestheticized religion under the influence of Nietzsche, as well as with the innovative religious thinking of William Blake, Kazantzakis, and Oscar Wilde, and with certain aspects of Taoism and Zen Buddhism. This paper addresses Dennis’s perception of theological controversies, such as the contradiction between the omnipotence of God and the existence of evil, theological determinism vs. human free will, theological view of history vs. New Historicism, divinity in man, aestheticized religion, and earthly paradise through the focused lens of Dennis’s “practical religion”. Despite the breadth of the theses in Dennis’s conceived practical religion as examined in this paper, they are all tied up with the core of the phenomenological study of religion: that religion is important to believers of the religion irrespective of the objective truth of the religion or the actual existence of God. In Dennis’s views, as accorded with the phenomenological study of religions, God maybe an idea and a fiction, but it is a necessary fiction for humans. Thus, Dennis humanizes gods with the flaws and fragility of humanity while deifying ordinary humanity in the contemporary context. Contrasting what he views as theological determinism with its view of linear history and the apocalypse of grand events, Dennis embraces human free will, a non-teleological, aestheticized living with necessary fiction, and a transient paradise on earth. Carl Dennis’s religious vision reveals a poststructuralist (even though he did not brand himself so) abolition of the absoluteness of a transcendent signifier as well as binary opposition (between God and man, good and evil, religious/historical truth and fictionality), and it manifests an affinity with New Historicism and the phenomenological study of religion.

A Study of Anxiety and Redemption in Gerard Manley Hopkins’ Poems

This paper aims to interpret the anxiety caused by the industrial revolution and how people sought redemption from religion and nature to alleviate spiritual suffering, from the perspective of Gerard Manley Hopkins. The author analyzed the feelings of anxiety generated by the overall social context, due to the impact of the industrial revolution on the environment, human beliefs, and the human body. Meanwhile, the author endeavors to explain that in the process of seeking redemption, it is necessary to affirm the existence of God, pay high respect to Jesus Christ’s selfless dedication, and still maintain trust in God, even though faith may be impacted. Ultimately, this benefits individuals and society as a whole. Essentially, Hopkins calls for people to return to nature, restore their connection with nature, and renew their spirit in order to redeem humanity.

Eclipse in a Philosopher's Perspective; Construction of Myth, Tawhid, and Shari'a

Eclipse is a natural phenomenon that has a variety of determinations from time to time. Historically, eclipses were first believed to be mythical events and were closely associated with the existence of gods. When Islam came, the eclipse changed into the dimensions of tawhid and Sharia. Tawhid talks about how natural phenomena show the power and existence of Allah Almighty, while the dimension of sharia is reflected in the existence of eclipse prayers in Islam. Long before Islam came, philosophers had discussed the phenomenon of eclipses, nowadays eclipses are a serious study, especially in the study of Falak. This article is classified as literature research with a qualitative approach. The methodology used is a descriptive analysis study. The results of the study concluded that eclipses in philosophers' thoughts are still connected with the dimensions of myth and sharia. The eclipse prayer service is a manifestation of tawhid as a form of gratitude and hope.

KOMUNIKASI RITUAL PAWAI OGOH-OGOH SEBAGAI IMPLEMENTASI DALAM TRI HITA KARANA

The Ogoh-ogoh parade is one of a series of Nyepi activities. In the implementation of the ogoh-ogoh parade which was held in the city of Mataram, it did not only involve Hindus, but also Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians. Ogoh-Ogoh is one of the works of sculpture that depicts the embodiment of Bhuta kala, Bhuta kala in Hinduism is described as the embodiment of a giant whose figure is known for its large and frightening size.
 The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the implementation and values ​​contained in the teachings of tri hitakarana in the tradition of the ogoh-ogoh parade in Mataram City. This study used qualitative research methods.
 The results of this study are as follows: Ritual Communication of the Ogoh-Ogoh Parade as Implementation in Tri Hitakarana, including, 1) The Parhyangan conception is implemented before carrying out the ogoh-ogoh parade, where before the event begins the community performs a melaspas ceremony. 2) Conception Pawongan is the concept of harmonization between fellow humans, the implementation of which in the parade is not only the Hindu community who are involved as paratroopers or gamelan musicians, but there are also non-Hindu relatives that we meet bringing kecimol, gendang beleq and even barong sai to participate in the celebration and celebration. the success of the ogoh-ogoh parade. 3) The concept of Palemahan is implemented when after carrying out the ogoh-ogoh parade, the community then performs a mass mecaru ceremony or at their respective homes. The values ​​contained in the Ritual Communication of the Ogoh-Ogoh Parade as Implementation in the Tri Hitakarana are, 1) Religious or Spiritual Values, believing in the existence of God which is believed by Hindus or the people of Mataram City. 2) Social Values ​​and Religious Tolerance, mutual respect among Hindus or among each other despite different religions and beliefs, without anyone looking at social status, whether position, caste or wealth in order to achieve common goals, all work hand in hand enthusiastically, sincerely, sincerely and concern for others. 3) Art value, contained in the manufacturing process, where in making ogoh-ogoh techniques are needed in making and have a high artistic spirit by having an artistic soul so that person can pour ideas according to the desired imagination, not only looks good to the eye but also able to give an impression and meaning to everyone who observes the work of art.

The Free Will Defense and the Problem of Heavenly Freedom

According to the logical problem of evil, the co-existence of evil and the theistic God who is considered to be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent is impossible. The fact that our world contains evils invalidates the existence of the theistic God. A libertarian theistic response to this problem, the free will defense, holds that if God actually has or could have a sufficient reason to actualize a world containing evils, the problem fails. This good reason, according to the defense, might be significant freedom, the freedom to choose between moral good and evil. Yujin Nagasawa, Graham Oppy, and Nick Trakakis, however, approach this debate from a different angle and argue that the traditional theistic view of heaven is a problem for this theistic response when we ask whether there is freedom in heaven. They contend that if the inhabitants of heaven do not have significant freedom, free will cannot be a great good that gives God a good reason to create a world containing evils. Thus, the free will defense fails. In this paper, I claim that this is mistaken. I argue that even though the inhabitants of heaven are not free in the most robust sense (i.e. they are no longer capable of sinning), this does not show that significant freedom is not a great good that justifies God’s creating a world containing evils.

Revival and Spiritual Awakening in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and 'The Black Cat'

Objectives: Edgar Allan Poe (1809- 1849) is credited with the creation of the detective story. However, his tales have not been extensively researched, especially in areas such as religiosity and spirituality. This paper aims to delve into these deeply-embedded areas and explore the neglected themes within Poe's works. The objective is to uncover the religious experiences that some of Poe's protagonists undergo. Methods: Employing an intrinsic approach, this study demonstrates that the protagonists in Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat" experience spiritual growth and awakening after losing their proper orientation and going astray. These characters do not appear to be true believers, as they do not believe in the existence of God. However, after facing a crisis resulting from committing a crime, God suddenly becomes apparent to them. Results: Therefore, the present study focuses on analyzing the gothic setting, inner conflict, symbols, and narrative techniques in Poe’s two stories. It aims to highlight the significance of the psychological turmoil experienced by the two protagonists, which ultimately leads to their spiritual awakening. Conclusions: Under the weight of guilt and remorse, the two protagonists begin to perceive existence in a new light, as revealed through their monologues. They express a need for spiritual revival.

The Triple Bottom Line Accounting from Scientia Sacra Perspective

The purpose of this article is to analyze the concept of Triple Bottom Line Accounting in the perspective of Scientia sacra. The alignment of Triple Bottom Line accounting in the Scientia sacra perceptive is essential to deal with crises in all aspects of life in terms of carrying out corporate sustainability. Scientia sacra is the knowledge of reality that is at the heart of every revelation obtained through revelation and the intellectual intuition that envelops the hearts and minds of man. This article uses interpretative method. The concept of triple bottom line in Scientia sacra's perspective is analyze in ontological, epistemological, and axiological meanings. In the ontological aspect of scientia sacra refers to the existence of God. In line with that, ontological aspect in triple bottom line also refer to the existence of God through religious-ecocentrism or spiritual dimension. In the epistemological aspect, the triple bottom line uses eco-theological principles that originate from the scriptures. In the axiological aspect, the triple bottom line has a transformative function from profit oriented to 3P (profit, people, planet) oriented. However, this transformative function has not yet fully achieved since some companies still committed irregularities, such as environmental pollution as a result from the company's business activities.Keywords: Scientia sacra, Triple Bottom Line, Ontological, Epistemologis, Axiological.

Nochmals zu Mendelssohn, Kant und dem ontologischen Gottesbeweis

Abstract Stefan Lang recently published a valuable contribution in the Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie on the discussion between Mendelssohn and Kant on the validity of the ontological proof for the existence of God. The conclusion of his article contrasts with that defended by the author of these pages in an essay published in Kant-Studien a few years ago. Our discrepancy is based on two closely related key issues: firstly, on how to interpret Mendelssohn’s thesis that the absolutely necessary being is both thought and thing; secondly, on the significance and scope to be attributed to Kant’s thesis of the impossibility of an ontological proof of God’s existence.

Evil is still evidence: comment on Almeida

AbstractMichael Almeida has recently tried to show that if S5 correctly represents metaphysical necessity, there can be no non-trivial evidence for or against the existence of the traditional God. Evidence would thus be irrelevant to the reasonability of traditional theistic belief. Almeida's argument has implications beyond its announced target: it amounts to a new argument for sweeping scepticism. Almeida's argument for the irrelevance of evidence to the existence of God would apply to any state of affairs that entails some metaphysical necessity. In S5, every state of affairs entails some metaphysical necessity, so Almeida should conclude that non-trivial evidence for or against any state of affairs is impossible. I argue that the problem is not with S5 but with inadequately motivated assumptions about evidential support. Avoiding those assumptions disables the argument for sweeping scepticism and without foreclosing the possibility of non-trivial evidence for or against the existence of the traditional God.

The Divine Image and A Divine Image: William Blake's Religious Gnostic Perspectives

It is well known that most of poems in Song of Innocence (1789) are contrary images to some of the in Songs of Experiences (1794). Both collections share two states of human souls. However, in some of the poems, William Blake distinguishes them by giving identical titles, as in The Devine Image and A Divine image or by giving completely different titles. This technique in Blake's songs gives clues to his intention to provide his readers with the direct shift from innocence to experience, from the universal view of the world to that limited, self-centered one. Moreover, in these two poems, the poet's condemnation of the tyranny of religion and the Church appears directly. It appears through his depiction of the existence of God in humans through the coexistence and disappearance of particular virtues. This paper will, first, shed light on the parallel between the two poems and how they interact with/build on/contrast one another. Second, it will shed light on William Blake's religious outlook in revolt to initialized Christianity.

When God Meets Changes: A Brief Analysis on the Origins of Deism

As the scientific revolution transformed the way people perceived the world, in the 17th century, Deism gradually emerged as an important component of Christian doctrines and had a profound influence on the rise and growth of the Enlightenment. It began as a system of strict intellectualism. Its aim was to remove superstition, miracles and mysteries from religion and to expose the latter to the light of reason. It adhered to the new principle that exclusively reasonable, trustworthy, and substantial evidence for the presence of a Supreme Being as the universes creator can only be found in empirical reason and observation of the natural world, which was a radical perspective for the time. This paper analyses the multiple origins of Deism from different perspectives, illustrating the circumstances under which Deism initially arose and the factors that led to its emergence from scratch. This paper finds that Deism emerged as a product of the confrontation between theology and science. Neither rejecting science, as traditional Catholic theology does nor erasing the existence of God, as atheism does, it sought to find a balance between the two from the very moment of its origin.

Natural theology after Darwin

Has Darwinian science made natural theology obsolete, as many Christian scholars now believe? In this article, the author assumes that natural theology does not take place in a religious vacuum but instead borrows its sense of god from this or that specific faith tradition. Its task is not to arrive at an understanding of the divine mystery different from that of systematic or doctrinal theology. As the author shall argue here, however, the empirical grounding essential to natural theology must be considerably more comprehensive and more profound than that provided by the natural sciences, mainly because the latter usually leave out any mention of the most striking of all natural phenomena – the human mind and its mysterious operations.The author maintains that an exclusively Darwinian narrative cannot fully explain why your mind is restless for truth or why you should trust your mind. The point of natural theology is to ask whether nature as a whole is intelligible apart from the reality of God. The author’s point is that an empirical survey of nature that restricts itself to following the modern scientific method’s habitual exclusion of thought from its survey of nature cannot succeed in making nature intelligible.Contribution: This article argues that evolutionary explanations alone are not enough to account for all that is happening in human understanding and knowing. In the light of evolutionary biology, we must note that even human intelligence, which formerly seemed to elevate our species to a perch above nature, now appears to be an unexceptional product of chance, deep time and natural selection. ‘Thought’, the name we may give to the most splendid of all evolutionary outcomes, is taken to be a product of impersonal natural selection and so also are our moral instincts.

William James: His Humanism and Philosophy of Religion

Humanism is one of the key concepts of the history of thought. It has been employed for different purposes in different eras. There are various types of it, ranging from the rhetorical humanism of Sophists to the Christian humanism of the middle ages, and from literary humanism of the Renaissance to the humanism of Comte. In other words, there is no monolithic humanism. One of the problems encountered within this diversity of approaches is the relationship between humanism and religion. Some humanistic interpretations foreground an anti-religious approach. Is it necessary to regard humanism as anti-religious? James’s humanism provides important data to answer this question. His humanism, at one end of which there is a radical empiricist epistemology while at the other end there lies an anti-theistic paradigm, does not exclude religious belief. Rather, it both carefully preserves the practically productive aspects of religion and develops a philosophy of religion that puts human being in the center. Several problems of classical philosophy of religion, particularly the existence of God, his relationship with the universe, the problem of evil and religious experience, are handled with a humanistic approach by James. And this study examines James’s answers to those problems of philosophy of religion within the framework of his genuine humanism.

THE CONCEPT OF THE SENSES ACCORDING TO IBN SINA

Among the factors that can improve the quality of one's faith is the knowledge that based on the correct epistemology. In this case, the information received by the mind is inseparable from the performance of the senses as the first perceiver capable of receiving sensations from sensory objects. By using the comparative descriptive analysis method, this paper aims to determine the concept of senses according to Ibn Sina in processing knowledge and its influence on faith. The discovery in this paper is that the concept of the senses is described by Ibn Sina as perfecting the function of reason in achieving knowledge with its performance in the form of a process of receiving sensory perceptions by external senses which are channeled to the internal senses so that humans can witness and contemplate the existence of God in achieving the truth that affects the quality of faith. In this case, it can be seen that Ibn Sina's concept of senses is different from the West which makes the senses the main source of knowledge without involving revelation.

Mafhūm Khalq al-‘Ālam inda Badī’uzzamān Sa’īd al-Nūrsī

This article aims to explain Said Nursi's thoughts on the Creation of Nature and criticism of the views of naturalist philosophers. In his work, Risalah Nur tries to reveal the concept of the Creation of Nature According to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (based on his criticism of the philosophy of Naturalism). To build this works, the authors use a philosophical approach with descriptive and analytical methods in his concept of the Creation of Nature with his logical thinking so that it can be a critique of the concept of Naturalism. Analyze the data by describing Nursi’s thoughts and analyzing them both by comparing and contrasting with the thougths of other figures in muslim philosophy and Naturalism. In his study on the creation of nature, as a paradigm Nursi used philosophy method in his critique of the philosophy of Naturalism. Bediuzzaman stated that in fact Nature was Allah’s creation, as this proved the testimony of the facts presented in Islam to mankind in humans and objects in this nature. The essence of the nature creation is to reflect or prove the existence of God. The positions of God as an existence that controls and creates nature. which is contrary to the philosophical understanding of Naturalism which assumes that nature was created by itself or without the God.

Именуемость Бога: апофатический и антиномический подходы

The article explores the issues of the naming of God: is it possible to name God, how the name and the Named are connected, does God have his own name, is the formula "the name of God is God" acceptable for the Christian worldview? The answers to these questions are given in the article using two methods: apophatic and antinomic. The objectives of the study are: firstly, to clarify the church's view of the phenomenon of the name of God, and secondly, to compare the two ways of this clarification, designated as apophatic and antinomic. The basis for understanding apophatic theology in the work is the writings of the Corpus Areopagiticum, where apophatic can be considered as a condition of spiritual vision and mystical theology, as well an intellectual cognitive path. The result of the apophatic approach in the article is called the principle of the unconfusedly and indivisible unity of the name and the Named. This principle, applied by Russian religious philosophers to express the connection of God and His name, is found in the priest Pavel Florensky, but his philosophy is associated by researchers primarily with the antinomic method. The unconfusedly and indivisible of the name and the Named in the antinomic reading acquires the paradoxical character of two mutually exclusive statements about the Divinity and non-divinity of the name of God. Also antinomy are statements taken at the same time and in the same relation, about the presence and absence of God's own name. The study concludes with the formulation of conclusions, among which the theological acceptability of the statement that «the name of God is God» is noted.

Teaching & Learning Guide for: Theistic Arguments from Horrendous Evils

Teaching & Learning Guide for: Theistic Arguments from Horrendous Evils

Moral knowledge and the existence of god

In this essay, I argue that, all else being equal, theism is more probable than naturalism on the assumption that human beings are able to arrive at a body of moral knowledge that is largely accurate and complete. I put forth this thesis on grounds that, if naturalism is true, the explanation of the content of our moral intuitions terminates either in biological-evolutionary processes or in social conventions adopted for pragmatic reasons; that, if this is so, our moral intuitions were selected for their utility, not their truth; and that, if our moral intuitions were so selected, they are probably false. I defend the argument against three objections: first, that the argument amounts to a generic skeptical challenge; second, that ethical naturalism explains how our moral intuitions could have been selected for their truth; and third, that there is a pre-established harmony between the utility of moral beliefs and their truth-values.