God’s Existence-Philosophical Argument
Do religious experiences prove the existence of God? The preceding question finds its roots in the philosophical argument that the existence of God can only be supported through religious experiences. The debate on whether God’s existence can be held by religious experience argument emanating from ontological, cosmological and teleological premises that prove the existence of God. While the three argument supports the existence of God, they mainly rely on concepts, facts, and principles rather than religious experiences. Swinburne came up with a philosophical theology holding that particular religious experiences affirms the existence of God. From the lens of Swinburne philosophical theology and certain premises of ontological, cosmological and teleological concepts, religious experiences does in fact prove the existence of God. THIS IS A PREVIEW ORDER YOUR PAPER NOW
Religious experiences have been defined as revelations resulting from divinity rather than natural causes. Those who can attest the existence of God through religious experiences are seen as the actual encounters with the Supreme Being. The critics of the religious experiences being used as the measure of God existence argues that it is an evolved aspect in the human brain. The religious experiences argument holds that God exists since religious experiences can be portrayed through peoples’ lives and they sometimes induce them to engage in self-sacrificial acts that are beyond ordinary behaviors. The religious experiences comprise of real perceptions or experiences of the true divinity.
Swinburne used the Principle of Credulity to support the existence of God through religious experiences. The principle states that if a certain situation it seems that a particular is present, then perhaps, the object is present (Martin 79). Likewise, if God can be seen present through religious experiences, then probably God exists. Based on the Principle of Credulity, if there is no robust ground to dispute religious experience, then people should accept that it is an indisputable fact that God exists. Swinburne argument is supported by ontological premise which holds that since people accept the propositions on the concept that every bachelor is a male, then any proposition that manifests God implies God’s existence (Radford). END OF PREVIEW ORDER YOUR PAPER NOW
Works Cited
Martin, Michael. “The Principle of Credulity and Religious Experience.” Religious Studies 22.1 (1986): 79-93. Web. <https://www.jstor.org/stable/20006259?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>.
Radford, Joel. Does God exist? The cosmological, teleological and ontological arguments. 25 September 2009. Web. 1 December 2018. <http://www.drummoynebaptist.org.au/2009/01/25/does-god-exist-the-cosmological-teleological-and-ontologicalarguments/>.