Atheism and reason

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If naturalism is true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces. [1]

If naturalism is true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces. [2] Therefore, believing in naturalism is self-defeating.

In short, atheism/naturalism and reason are incompatible.[3] See also: Intelligent design and Evolution

C.S. Lewis's argument from reason and for the irrationality of materialism

C. S. Lewis, photographed in 1947.

See also: Atheism and the brain and Atheism and free will and Atheism and personhood

Clive Staples Lewis, commonly referred to as C.S. Lewis, (b. November 29, 1898, Belfast - d. November 22, 1963, Oxford) was an Irish writer, novelist, essayist, moral mythologist and a world-acclaimed master of Christian apologetics.

Below are some resources on C.S. Lewis' argument from reason:

The Christian apologetics website Bethinking.org declares:

“ Bereft of the certainty of reason and truth that results from a godless worldview, it seems better for the atheist to seek an alternative. In his book C.S. Lewis’ Case for the Christian Faith, Richard Purtill offers the biblical perspective on reason and its origins:
One way of getting a preliminary insight into Lewis’ argument [from reason] is to ask whether nature is a product of mind or mind is a product of nature. If God created nature, as Christians believe, then nature is understandable by reason because it is a product of reason.

Christianity offers that man is made in the image of God and from this we gather that our mind is formed in likeness to God’s mind. Thus, we have a reason for our reason which is Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe, Earth, and our mind. Indeed the apostle John describes how 'the Word' (Greek word logos, which can also be translated as 'reason') was with God in the beginning, how reason formed all of nature, and how the incarnate Word came to Earth.[4]

”

Atheism and irrationality

A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational.[5]

See also: Atheism and irrationality

A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational (see: Atheism and irrationality).[6] In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.[7] See also: Atheism and critical thinking

Atheistic worldview cannot account for the laws of logic

See also: Atheism and logic and Transcendental argument for the existence of God

The atheistic worldview cannot account for the laws of logic (See: Atheism and logic).[8]

Atheism and critical thinking

Atheists commonly fail to use critical thinking when it comes to their assumptions and when it comes to various atheistic ideologies (see: Atheism and critical thinking).

For example, many atheists are unfamiliar with the evidence and arguments against atheism and the evidence and arguments for theism/Christianity (See: Rebuttals to atheist arguments and Evidence for Christianity and Arguments for the existence of God).[9]

Irreligion and superstition

The Wall Street Journal reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians."[10]

See also: Irreligion and superstition

Studies show that the irreligious are more likely to be superstitious than evangelical Christians (see: Irreligion and superstition).[11]

Furthermore, Rodney Stark wrote in his book The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever about secular European countries and atheistic Japan:

“ 35 percent of the French believe in astrology, 35 percent of the Swiss agree that 'some fortune tellers really can foretell the future'; and nearly everyone in Japan is careful to have a new car blessed by a Shinto priest.[12] ”
See also: Irreligion, UFOlogy and other pseudoscience

Atheist worldview cannot explain consciousness

See also: Atheism and consciousness and Argument from consciousness

The atheist worldview cannot explain the existence of consciousness either and the theistic worldview can offer a reasonable explanation.[13]

Advocates of mind uploading (Mind uploading is the notion that someday mankind may be able to scan and upload their minds to computer storage mediums) are generally strong advocates of cryonics as well.[14] Mind uploading is not a feasible hypothesis.[15] See also: Atheism and cryonics

Existence of consciousness

Atheism and the brain

See also: Atheism and the brain and Atheism and intelligence

Study involving magnetism, brain function and the posterior medial frontal cortex

See also: Causes of atheism and Atheism and logic and Atheism and logical fallacies

The human brain is the most complex physical entity in the universe.[16][17][18] See also: Atheism and the brain

The organization American Vision wrote about a University of York study involving magnetism and brain function:

“ This has to be embarrassing . . . if you’re an atheist. A new study performed at the University of York used targeted magnetism to shut down part of the brain. The result: belief in God disappeared among more than 30 percent of participants.

That in itself may not seem so embarrassing, but consider that the specific part of the brain they frazzled was the posterior medial frontal cortex—the part associated with detecting and solving problems, i.e., reasoning and logic.

In other words, when you shut down the part of the brain most associated with logic and reasoning, greater levels of atheism result.[19]

”

Religious individuals and thicker cerebral cortices

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association - Psychiatry people who place a high importance of religion in their lives have thicker cerebral cortices and may be better able to fight depression.[20][21] See: Atheism and depression

Thicker cerebral cortices in individuals is positively associated with higher intelligence.[22]

Religiosity and larger frontal lobes

See: Religiosity and larger frontal lobes

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Reclaiming Reason from Atheism by Katie Galloway, Bethinking.org
  5. ↑ Atheism by Matt Slick
  6. ↑ Atheism by Matt Slick
  7. ↑
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ How atheism is being sold in America
  10. ↑ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html
  11. ↑ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html
  12. ↑ The Triumph of Faith: Why the World is More Religious Than Ever by Rodney Stark, Introduction section of the book
  13. ↑ The Argument from Consciousness for the Existence of God by John Piippo, 3/20/2012
  14. ↑ Mind uploading - Thought experiments as knowledge
  15. ↑
  16. ↑ The Human Body: God's Masterpiece
  17. ↑ The Enigmatic Human Brain by Wallace G. Smith
  18. ↑ The Most Complex Structure, Creation Moments
  19. ↑ Atheists embarrassed: study proves atheism uses less brain function
  20. ↑ [1]
  21. ↑ [2]
  22. ↑ [3]
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