The opening of my latest column in the Theist vs. Atheist series debate at EveryJoe: “As we enter the third round of our debate series, our first major point of disagreement about religion has been identified — about the nature and legitimacy of faith. “My view is that faith is a type of subjectivism — a […]
On the Proofs of God’s Existence [new Theist vs. Atheist series column] Read More »
Muitas pessoas espertas — incluindo Thomas Friedman no The New York Times, Naser Khader no Newsweek, John Lloyd no The Jerusalem Post, Ayann Hirsi Ali no The Wall Street Journal — estão esperando que algum tipo de Reforma ocorra no Islã. Alguns estão clamando por um Martin Luther King islâmico. Desculpe, mas não. O Islã
O Islã precisa de uma reforma? Read More »
The opening of John C. Wright’s latest column in the Theist vs. Atheist series debate at EveryJoe: “This column needs must be thrice the normal length, for I must answer two columns by Mr. Hicks, and address the subject matter of this week’s question. “First things first: “There is nothing in the opening salvo of
Some quotations and brief glosses on Augustine’s views on the use of persecution and torture in order to save souls. “No salvation outside the church.” (418 CE) “[M]any must first be recalled to their Lord by the stripes of temporal scourging, like evil slaves, and in some degree like good-for-nothing fugitives.” Augustine had defended toleration
St. Augustine on “Righteous Persecution” Read More »
The opening of my first column in the Theist vs. Atheist series debate at EveryJoe: “My answer is: Absolutely, yes, religion is worth arguing about. “We have all heard that in polite company we should not discuss sex, politics, business, or religion. Those topics are too troublesome, so we should stick to safer topics. “Of course such topics are inappropriate
Is Religion Worth Arguing About? [new Theist vs. Atheist series column] Read More »
The series of back-and-forth articles debating key issues in religion will begin tomorrow, Thursday, June 11. Our online host is EveryJoe.com, and my civil and friendly debate partner is John C. Wright, who has written widely on religion and related matters. My first article in the “Theist vs Atheist: What Should You Believe?” series will
Update on new debate series on Religion, True or False? Read More »
To reason is to integrate perceptual evidence into concepts, propositions, and theories. By contrast, what is faith? Below are seven definitions of faith. The definitions are in my words, but they are taken from my readings of seven philosophers of religion: William James, Søren Kierkegaard, C. S. Lewis, George H. Smith, Basil Mitchell, R. M.
What Is Faith? Seven definitions Read More »
An example of using social fear to intimidate students who might ask the “wrong questions.” From a review of Rebecca Goldstein’s Betraying Spinoza: Goldstein tells of “the particularly Jewish way in which Spinoza entered her life. It initially happened, she tells us, in a yeshiva high school for girls. Her favorite teacher, Mrs. Schoenfeld, told
Spinoza as cautionary tale about asking the wrong questions Read More »