Atheism and reason

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.

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. Therefore, believing in naturalism is self-defeating.

In short, atheism/naturalism and reason are incompatible. 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

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:

• C.S. Lewis' argument from reason
• C.S. Lewis and the Argument from Reason by Jay W. Richards, November 25, 2013
• C.S. Lewis and Materialism by John G. West
• C.S. Lewis On The Validity of Reasoning
• C.S. Lewis on Rationality and Materialism
• Atheism and the Inability to Think
• Book Review: C.S. Lewis's Dangerous Idea: In Defense of the Argument from Reason by Victor Reppert

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.

”

Atheism and irrationality

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

See also: Atheism and irrationality

A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational (see: Atheism and irrationality). In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies. 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).

Atheist worldview cannot explain consciousness

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

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. Mind uploading is not a feasible hypothesis. See also: Atheism and cryonics

Existence of consciousness

• The Argument from Consciousness for the Existence of God by John Piippo
• Consciousness: One of Atheism's Irresolvable Problems by John Piippo
• The enigmatic human brain
• The human brain: The most complex structure in the universe

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).

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. 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.

”

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. See: Atheism and depression

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

See also

• Atheism and critical thinking

• Irreligion and superstition

• Atheist mindset

• Intelligent design

• Creation science

• Christianity and science

External links

• Atheists don’t own reason by Tom Gilson

• Is atheism based on blind faith or reason?