Sunday, June 15, 2008
Blog #6 Exploring Counterarguments
In blog post #5, I claimed that God did not create the universe because man created the idea of a God. This causes a lot of controversy amongst religious believers. Someone holding an opposing viewpoint might argue that the nature of earth is too intricate and fits together so perfectly that it had to be created by an intelligent designer. I will agree that the way life works on earth is amazing. Let us imagine that an intelligent designer did indeed create the universe in all its intricacies. This deity did not make automobiles, houses, computers, etc. So this means that at some point in this theory evolution had to have taken over. When did that occur? What characteristics separate the things that have been intelligently design by a deity and the things that have been intelligently designed by a human? Maybe earth was intelligently design by a being that came from another place in our universe? There are a lot of unknowns about the way our universe works, what it consists of and where it truly ends. I feel our universe is so enormous and filled with so many other galaxies with planets of their own that the chances of life occurring on one or more of them are not that unlikely.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Blog #5 Questions about God and the Origin of the Universe
Did God create the universe??
No.
There are many big questions out there. Where did we come from; is one of them. People want answers. Sure, God is an option. However, I do not think it is any more reasonable than any other theory. Let’s go back in time, when humans existed without the use of science, technology, and the knowledge we use today. Early humans could not come up with logical explanations for simple occurrences such as thunderstorms and death. At that time of the world, God was a reasonable explanation. The belief in God instilled fear and established rules. I believe the religion was used as one of the first forms of government. People were scared to go to hell and scared of the wrath of God so in return they would behave. I think that people believe in god because they do not have another option and they are scared not to.
In an interview conducted by CCTV with Daniel C. Dennett, the author of “Breaking the Spell,” He says that most religions do not even exist anymore. Mr. Dennett also suggests that the religions we still see active today were designed for survival. While being interviewed Daniel C. Dennett stated, “We know there was a time, not long ago by biological standards, when there was no religion at all.” Can religion exist without believers? Can religion and God exist if humans do not? What I gathered by listening to Dennett’s interview was that God did not create man; rather man created God.
No.
There are many big questions out there. Where did we come from; is one of them. People want answers. Sure, God is an option. However, I do not think it is any more reasonable than any other theory. Let’s go back in time, when humans existed without the use of science, technology, and the knowledge we use today. Early humans could not come up with logical explanations for simple occurrences such as thunderstorms and death. At that time of the world, God was a reasonable explanation. The belief in God instilled fear and established rules. I believe the religion was used as one of the first forms of government. People were scared to go to hell and scared of the wrath of God so in return they would behave. I think that people believe in god because they do not have another option and they are scared not to.
In an interview conducted by CCTV with Daniel C. Dennett, the author of “Breaking the Spell,” He says that most religions do not even exist anymore. Mr. Dennett also suggests that the religions we still see active today were designed for survival. While being interviewed Daniel C. Dennett stated, “We know there was a time, not long ago by biological standards, when there was no religion at all.” Can religion exist without believers? Can religion and God exist if humans do not? What I gathered by listening to Dennett’s interview was that God did not create man; rather man created God.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Blog #4 "Conceptual Clarifications"
Topic: God and the Origin of the Universe
Intelligent Design
is the assertion that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection".
Relevance
Intelligent Design is one common belief, among religious people, about the origin of the universe. The intelligent designer is most often thought of as “God.”
"Intelligent design." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 04:02 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intelligent_design&oldid=216775926>.
The Big Bang
The Big Bang is a cosmological model of the universe that has become well supported by several independent observations. If the universe is seen to be expanding today, then it must have been smaller, denser, and hotter in the past. This idea has been considered in detail all the way back to extreme densities and temperatures, and the resulting conclusions have been found to conform very closely to what is observed.
Relevance
The Big Bang is the opposing common belief, popular amongst scientific people, about the origin of the universe.
"Big Bang." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 31 May 2008, 08:04 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Bang&oldid=216146065>.
Darwin
an English naturalist,[I] eminent as a collector and geologist, who proposed and provided scientific evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection.
Relevance
Darwin developed theories explaining the development of the universe through natural selection. Which differed from the theories of “ by chance,” and that of “itelligent design.”
Until the time of Darwin these were the only two options providing an explanation of the universe.
"Charles Darwin." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 22:06 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Darwin&oldid=216937910>.
Natural Selection
Natural selection is the process by which favorable heritable traits become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable heritable traits become less common.
Relevance
Darwin invented the term “natural selection” to explain his process of evolution, leading back to the origin of the universe.
"Natural selection." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 20:50 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Natural_selection&oldid=216923220>.
The Size of the Universe
The Universe is most commonly defined as everything that physically exists: the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter, energy and momentum, and the physical laws and constants that govern them. Astronomical observations indicate that the universe is 13.73 ± 0.12 billion years old and at least 93 billion light years across.
Relevance
I feel that understanding the size of the universe will help support or oppose the popular theories concerning the origin of the universe. Understanding the size of the universe and what it consists of will provide a better understanding of it’s origin.
"Universe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 23:37 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universe&oldid=216954830>.
Intelligent Design
is the assertion that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection".
Relevance
Intelligent Design is one common belief, among religious people, about the origin of the universe. The intelligent designer is most often thought of as “God.”
"Intelligent design." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 04:02 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intelligent_design&oldid=216775926>.
The Big Bang
The Big Bang is a cosmological model of the universe that has become well supported by several independent observations. If the universe is seen to be expanding today, then it must have been smaller, denser, and hotter in the past. This idea has been considered in detail all the way back to extreme densities and temperatures, and the resulting conclusions have been found to conform very closely to what is observed.
Relevance
The Big Bang is the opposing common belief, popular amongst scientific people, about the origin of the universe.
"Big Bang." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 31 May 2008, 08:04 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Bang&oldid=216146065>.
Darwin
an English naturalist,[I] eminent as a collector and geologist, who proposed and provided scientific evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection.
Relevance
Darwin developed theories explaining the development of the universe through natural selection. Which differed from the theories of “ by chance,” and that of “itelligent design.”
Until the time of Darwin these were the only two options providing an explanation of the universe.
"Charles Darwin." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 22:06 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Darwin&oldid=216937910>.
Natural Selection
Natural selection is the process by which favorable heritable traits become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms, and unfavorable heritable traits become less common.
Relevance
Darwin invented the term “natural selection” to explain his process of evolution, leading back to the origin of the universe.
"Natural selection." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 20:50 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Natural_selection&oldid=216923220>.
The Size of the Universe
The Universe is most commonly defined as everything that physically exists: the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter, energy and momentum, and the physical laws and constants that govern them. Astronomical observations indicate that the universe is 13.73 ± 0.12 billion years old and at least 93 billion light years across.
Relevance
I feel that understanding the size of the universe will help support or oppose the popular theories concerning the origin of the universe. Understanding the size of the universe and what it consists of will provide a better understanding of it’s origin.
"Universe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Jun 2008, 23:37 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Jun 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universe&oldid=216954830>.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Blog #3
I chose these videos containing an interview with Daniel C. Dennett, the author of "Breaking the Spell." This interview along with his book discussed "Religion as a Natural Phenomenon." I felt this related with my topic, "God and the Origin of the Universe." This interview doesn't talk about the origin of the universe but it talks about the reasoning behind religion, and why people believe. I feel this is relevant to my topic because the exploration of this reasoning will provide evidence against the argument of intelligent design, and help to promote other ideas.
In this interview Mr. Dennett explores the evolution of religion and states that there was a time when religion did not exist. That begs the question: Does religion require believers to exist? Mr. Dennett also states that most religions did not stand the test of time, but some were specifically designed for greater longevity. He goes on to explain the interworkings of religion and believes that religion tend to promote poor behavior and violence. Mr. Dennett questions the validity of religion and compares the early beliefs to the present.
The interview with Mr. Dennett provided me with insight into the history of religious beliefs. This ultimately provided me with a greater understanding of my topic and why people believe.
Blog #2
I have decided to choose "God and the Origin of the Universe," as my research topic.
For as long as I can remember I have always supported the theory of the “big bang,” more than the intelligent design theory. Until recently my idea of the “big bang” was that of a big explosion that created the beginning of the universe. While researching this topic on the site, http://www.astronomy.pomona.edu/Projects/moderncosmo/Josh's%20Bigbang.html, I learned that there is greater specific detail describing this event than I originally thought. This site breaks down the events that occurred during the first second after the big bang. It goes further explains the development of protons and neutrons.
One of the arguments promoting intelligent design is that some of the things that occur in nature appear too perfect and deliberate to be naturally created at random. In an excerpt written by Dr. William Bradley on the site, http://www.origins.org/articles/bradley_existenceofgod.html, he uses Mount Rushmore to support his theory of natural occurrences against intelligent design. Dr. Bradley compares the manmade Mount Rushmore to a naturally formed Hawaiian rock formation whose shadow resembles the profile of our late president, John F. Kennedy. I learned that the word, “designoid” is used to describe the things that appear to be intelligently designed but in reality have come to be through a process of natural selection.
After centuries of people questioning the origin of our existence, why are there only two explanations available? Through reading on the site, http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/03/16_hawking_text.shtml, I gathered that the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, believed that the universe had existed for ever. That’s definitely a different outlook that I am interested in investigating further.
For as long as I can remember I have always supported the theory of the “big bang,” more than the intelligent design theory. Until recently my idea of the “big bang” was that of a big explosion that created the beginning of the universe. While researching this topic on the site, http://www.astronomy.pomona.edu/Projects/moderncosmo/Josh's%20Bigbang.html, I learned that there is greater specific detail describing this event than I originally thought. This site breaks down the events that occurred during the first second after the big bang. It goes further explains the development of protons and neutrons.
One of the arguments promoting intelligent design is that some of the things that occur in nature appear too perfect and deliberate to be naturally created at random. In an excerpt written by Dr. William Bradley on the site, http://www.origins.org/articles/bradley_existenceofgod.html, he uses Mount Rushmore to support his theory of natural occurrences against intelligent design. Dr. Bradley compares the manmade Mount Rushmore to a naturally formed Hawaiian rock formation whose shadow resembles the profile of our late president, John F. Kennedy. I learned that the word, “designoid” is used to describe the things that appear to be intelligently designed but in reality have come to be through a process of natural selection.
After centuries of people questioning the origin of our existence, why are there only two explanations available? Through reading on the site, http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/03/16_hawking_text.shtml, I gathered that the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, believed that the universe had existed for ever. That’s definitely a different outlook that I am interested in investigating further.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Blog #1
The chapter, “God and the Origin of the Universe,” seems interesting to me. I am not religious. I am sometimes bewildered at the thought of a God. I am not sure if a God or many Gods exist. I feel there are other reasons for our existence. The thought of a God is so prevalent in society today; even though it seems like an outdated habit. I feel studying this chapter will give me a better understanding of why so many people believe and maybe a better inclination of the truth. Religious fanatics are quick to argue that God created the world without any hard evidence. On the other hand religion and the belief of God has tremendously shaped our world and moral values. For example, in the chapter “The Problem of Evil,” there is a sub chapter named, ”God and Evil.”
The Second chapter of interest to me is “Do We Survive Death?” This chapter correlates with my first chapter choice “God and the Origin of the Universe.” I may not be a religious person but I am a spiritual person. This makes it hard for me to accept that we just die and rot in the ground, even though I have no evidence to the contrary. We always hear about Heaven and Hell. “Be good so you will go to heaven,” sounds very similar to “be good or Santa Claus won‘t come.” This big life question has always interested me. On the forum site, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=536440, the question posted was “Does Heaven exist?” One blogger answered no and stated, “Besides could you truly enjoy heaven if even ONE of your loved ones was in hell? Could you? Think about that.…”
The Second chapter of interest to me is “Do We Survive Death?” This chapter correlates with my first chapter choice “God and the Origin of the Universe.” I may not be a religious person but I am a spiritual person. This makes it hard for me to accept that we just die and rot in the ground, even though I have no evidence to the contrary. We always hear about Heaven and Hell. “Be good so you will go to heaven,” sounds very similar to “be good or Santa Claus won‘t come.” This big life question has always interested me. On the forum site, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=536440, the question posted was “Does Heaven exist?” One blogger answered no and stated, “Besides could you truly enjoy heaven if even ONE of your loved ones was in hell? Could you? Think about that.…”
Thursday, May 8, 2008
BBLLLOOOOGGG!!!!
bloggin, bloggin, bloggin, keep those blogger's bloggin!!
What is philosophy?
Everyone has their own philosophy, so the definition is relative. Thoughts and theories about what we have no fact of. Human action and evolution supports these theories.
What is philosophy?
Everyone has their own philosophy, so the definition is relative. Thoughts and theories about what we have no fact of. Human action and evolution supports these theories.
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