035 - Is Belief in Spirit Warranted? A Look at Alvin Plantinga's Work vis-à-vis Hegel.
Description
Is there a difference between a belief having been proven correct versus a belief that while not proven, is still warranted, and not irrational? Contemporary philosopher Alvin Plantinga believes there is. And his method of establishing this speaks directly to Hegel's Spirit (Geist).
Plantinga is also known for his controversial theory the "Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism" (EAAN). It goes like this: If our thinking is a product of blind naturalism, how can we trust it? Putting this in Hegelian terms, unless one believes in Spirit, can one fully put stock in thought? It can't, because thought from blind Naturalism has no basis in truth. In other words, one that rejects Spirit cannot use thought to come up with the reason for denying Spirit.
Plantinga does not deny evolution, and believes that the conflict actually lies between Naturalism and rationally based science.
This episode explores all this and more, including the remarkable apparent fine-tuning of the universe for life and how this may align with Hegel's project.
It is estimated that over 2 billion stars in our own Milky Way galaxy have planets orbiting them that could sustain life. Are we on planet Earth a lottery winner, a one in 2 billion chance for establishing life and intelligent beings? The odds suggest life exists elsewhere.
However, although...
Published 04/14/24
"Creation ex nihlilo (creation out of nothing) or "Ex nihilo nihil fit" (from nothing comes from nothing)?
The notion of a creator God is fundamental to Western religions. But is it true? The opening of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible, studied so long and hard by the Kabbalists suggests so, and...
Published 02/25/24