Richard Dawkins and the ‘Absence of Belief’

Richard Dawkins and the New Atheists have popularized the idea that atheism, contrary to other positions, is not a belief; it is simply ‘the absence of belief’ in God or a supreme being.  It almost sounds esoteric. Theists believe that God exists and atheists merely lack that belief. Well, on that view, my Chevy is just as much of an atheist as Richard Dawkins, for it, too, lacks the belief that God exists. And I don’t say that lightly; I love my Chevy.

Now, there is some truth to the idea that atheists ‘lack belief.’ They do. But that’s not enough. Like I said, what is it that separates an atheist from my Chevy? My Chevy lacks belief in God. Animals lack belief in God. Newborn babies lack belief in God. There are lots of things that lack belief in God and yet aren’t atheists. It takes more than ‘lack of belief’ to define an atheist.

Terminology Tuesday: Belief

Belief: The fundamental positive cognitive attitude that commonly takes a proposition as its object. Most philosophers hold that propositional beliefs can be occurrent, in which case there is conscious assent to a proposition, or nonoccurrent, in which case a person has a disposition to assent to a proposition (such as 2+3=5) even though the person is not consciously thinking of that proposition. Theologians distinguish belief that something is the case from belief in a person or ideal, as when a person believes in God or democracy. The latter seems closer to the biblical concept of faith. It seems clear, however, that belief in God is not possible without some propositional beliefs as well, since one could hardly believe in God if one did not believe that God existed or believe anything about God's character.1

1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 17.

How to Be a Morally Responsible Skeptic MP3 Audio by Dallas Willard

Philosopher Dallas Willard makes the case that disbelief is not a stance to be taken lightly. Individuals have a responsibility to assume the burden of proof for their disbelief. Dallas Willard died on May 8, 2013 and will be missed by many. Find his books here.

Full MP3 Audio here. (from Veritas)

Enjoy.

Review: Warranted Christian Belief by Alvin Plantinga

In Warranted Christian Belief (henceforth WCB), Alvin Plantinga examines the conditions under which theistic and Christian beliefs possess warrant—that which transforms true belief into knowledge. His definition of warrant (defended at length in the prior two books in this trilogy) is as follows:

A belief has warrant just if it is produced by cognitive processes or faculties that are functioning properly, in a cognitive environment propitious for that exercise of cognitive powers, according to a design plan that is successfully aimed at the production of true beliefs. (Location 114 Kindle edition)

It is important to recognize that Plantinga’s goal in this book is not to argue for the truth of Christian belief, but for its warrant. Once the reader realizes this, it becomes clear why Plantinga introduces the distinction between de facto and de jure objections to theistic and Christian belief. A de facto objection attacks the truth of Christianity and is hence making a metaphysical or an ontological claim (e.g., God does not exist). Popular de facto objections are the logical problem of evil or that the attributes of God are logically inconsistent. De jure objections are epistemological in nature. For example, a de jure objection might hold that whether or not Christian belief is true, it is nonetheless unjustified or unwarranted to hold such belief. Plantinga sees the book serving two distinct functions:

On the one hand, it is an exercise in apologetics and philosophy of religion, an attempt to demonstrate the failure of a range of objects to Christian belief. …. On the other hand, however, the book is an effort in Christian philosophy…the effort to consider and answer philosophical questions from a Christian perspective. (Location 153 Kindle edition) 

Terminology Tuesday: Doxastic Voluntarism

Doxastic Voluntarism: The philosophical doctrine according to which people have voluntary control over their beliefs. [...] Philosophers distinguish between two kinds of doxastic voluntarism. Direct doxastic voluntarism claims that people have direct voluntary control over at least some of their beliefs. Indirect doxastic voluntarism, however, supposes that people have indirect voluntary control over at least some of their beliefs, for example, by doing research and evaluating evidence.1

1. For more information, see doxastic voluntarism in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Terminology Tuesday: Properly Basic Beliefs

Properly Basic Beliefs: According to foundationalism, there are beliefs that are called properly basic beliefs. Such beliefs are basic in the sense that they are not justified by or based on other beliefs. If we use the term evidence to mean "propositional evidence," then evidence refers to cases in which a person S believes a proposition and this serves as the basis for believing another proposition. A properly basic belief is basic in the sense that it is not believed on the basis of evidence, that is, it is not based on belief in another proposition.1

1. J.P. Moreland & William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview, p. 112.

Review: Why People Don’t Believe: Confronting Seven Challenges to the Christian Faith by Paul Chamberlain

Paul Chamberlain states in Why People Don’t Believe that “the first and foundational charge against religious faith in the 21st-century is that religion breeds violence and shocking abuse of human dignity” (20). He asserts that “this theme is foundational to the new critics of religion and represents the most important message they wish to communicate to the public” (20). He notes, however, that most Christians are unaware of the allegations being brought against religion, including Christianity. In fact, he says, when they do hear such criticism, they’re shocked and bewildered.

It is because of this that Chamberlain, director of the Institute of Christian Apologetics at Trinity Western University (Langley, British Columbia, Canada), says he penned his book, noting that his goal is twofold: He wants to help people of faith understand the concerns raised against religion and provide information with which they can engage critics in “thoughtful and frank dialogue” (15). To this end, he outlines the challenges from those who object to religion and considers whether they are true of Christianity.

Sunday Quote: Martin Luther on Believing & Dying

"Every man must do two things alone, he must do his own believing and his own dying."

- Martin Luther

The Formation of Belief MP3 Audio by Bruce Little

This lecture by philosopher Bruce Little discusses how beliefs are formed. He discusses the nature of beliefs, how they form and their relationship to truth, the notion of persuasion, and how beliefs might be changed. All of this is aimed at a better understanding of what is involved in Christian witnessing and apologetics, with examples from the Bible. Another great audio from bethinking.org.

Full MP3 Audio here.

Enjoy.

You may also want to check out other Bruce Little audio here and here.

Sunday Quote: A.N. Wilson on Belief

"My belief has come about in large measure because of the lives and examples of people I have known - not the famous, not saints, but friends and relations who have lived, and faced death, in the light of the Resurrection story, or in the quiet acceptance that they have a future after they die."

- A. N. Wilson
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Sunday Quote: On Thinking

"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking."

- Alfred Korzybski