Atheism: Weekend Projects

1. How does Grayling characterize atheism? How is the burden of proof related to his account of the position? Where does the burden of proof lie? Why?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/What-s-the-New-Atheism-Anthony-A-C-Grayling-/1698

Write your answer in your last name Atheism Google Doc with the heading "Grayling." Be sure to share the document with me with the button in the upper right as a collaborator with the email address: mccormick@csus.edu. Complete it by class time Monday, Sept. 10.

2. As Schellenberg sees it, should we characterize atheism as a faith based view? Why or why not? How does he see atheism and what does he think faith is?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Is-Atheism-a-New-Faith-J-L-Schellenberg-/1662

Write your answers in your last name Atheism Google Doc with the heading "Schellenberg 1" at the top. Put this new entry at the top of the Google Doc, above the one from last week. You will put each new entry at the top so they will all be in reverse chronological order from top to bottom. Complete this by the beginning of class Monday, Sept. 17.

3. Why does Schellenberg think there is no God? Which of these is the best argument, as you see it? Explain.

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Atheism-s-Arguments-Against-God-J-L-Schellenberg-/1783

Label this entry "Schellenberg 2" and complete it by the beginning of class, Monday, Sept. 24.

4. What does it mean to say that God is hidden according to Schellenberg? Why is non-resistant, non-belief itself evidence for no God?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Atheisms-Best-Arguments-J-L-Schellenberg-/1660

Label this entry "Hidden" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Oct. 1.

5. What does the claim that God is hiding mean, according to Stenger? What’s logically incoherent about a hiding God?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Atheism-s-Best-Arguments-Victor-Stenger-Part-1-of-2-/1258

Label this entry "Stenger 1" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Oct. 8.

6. What sort of empirical evidence could disprove God, and how does that strategy of disproof work, according to Stenger?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Atheism-s-Best-Arguments-Victor-Stenger-Part-1-of-2-/1258

Label this entry "Stenger 2" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Oct. 15.

7. Why is agnosticism more plausible than atheism according to Vernon? Why is that more scientific? Is this a plausible view?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Arguments-for-Atheism-Mark-Vernon-/1139

Label this entry "Vernon" and complete it by class time Monday, Oct. 29.

8. Study the arguments Plantinga gives here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL5rykiekBs

He thinks that naturalism is self-referentially incoherent because it cannot account for the reliability of our beliefs. And he seems to endorse these claims:

a. I have powerful feelings that lead me to believe that God exists.

b. What reasons do I for thinking that my faculties provide me with reliable beliefs about the world?

c. God designed us to have the reliable beliefs.

Are A-C problematic? Why?

Label this entry "Plantinga" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Nov. 5.

9. Blackmore gives a practical argument for atheism. What does that mean and why is that different from other atheist positions we’ve considered? Is this justification for atheism sound? Explain.

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/Atheism-s-Best-Arguments-Susan-Blackmore-/1107

Label this entry "Blackmore" and complete it by the beginning of class Wednesday, Nov. 14.

10. What is Isham’s view about the relationship between religiousness and science? What are the implications for God from scientific inquiries?

http://www.closertotruth.com/video-profile/The-Rise-of-Scientific-Atheism-Christopher-Isham-/1675

Label this entry "Isham" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Nov. 19.

11. What is belief in belief in God according to Dennett? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN8BHD9sXJ8

How do believers differ from believers in belief? If Dennett is right, what are the implications?

Label this entry "Dennett 1" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Nov. 26.

12. What’s natural about religions and how do they evolve? How are they designed? Explain the analogues between religious evolution and biological natural selection? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vXft3lRn2o&feature=related

Label this entry "Dennett 2" and complete it by the beginning of class Monday, Dec. 3.