Question 1

"It is wrong always and everywhere and for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence." This quote is from
A) William K Clifford.
B) William James.
C) Blaise Pascal.
D) Soren Kierkegaard.

Accepted Answer

This quote is from William K. Clifford, a philosopher who argued strongly for the ethics of belief, emphasizing that it is wrong to believe anything without sufficient evidence. This stance contrasts with other philosophers like William James, who argued for the right to believe under certain conditions even without sufficient evidence.

Question 2

Pascal's "wager argument" is designed to show that
A) it is more likely that God exists than not so it is more rational to believe in God.
B) considering the gains and losses of believing versus not believing in God make it in your self-interest to believe.
C) wagering God exists would be offensive to God.
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Pascal's wager argues that it is in one's self-interest to believe in God because the potential gains (eternal happiness) outweigh the potential losses (finite pleasures) if God does exist, whereas if God does not exist, the losses and gains are minimal either way.

Question 3

William James says that we may believe in God without evidence if
A) we're convinced by Pascal's wager argument.
B) the choice to believe seems while live, momentous and forced.
C) we have thought through the choice carefully.
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

William James argues that in cases where a decision is live, momentous, and forced, and cannot be settled by intellectual means, we are justified in making a 'passional' decision. This applies to belief in God when evidence is insufficient, as per his "The Will to Believe" doctrine.

Question 4

The idea that God tests our faith by making religions seem irrational is called
A) pragmatism.
B) rationalism.
C) fideism.
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Fideism is the view that religious belief relies primarily on faith or special revelation, rather than reason, intellect, or natural evidence. It often posits that the truth of religious claims may be impossible to prove or disprove by reason and that faith is required precisely because certain spiritual truths transcend human reason.

Question 5

According to Kierkegaard, if God made the truth of his existence obvious, it would have
A) made believing too easy.
B) been a welcome change.
C) made it easier to make a "leap of faith."
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard believed that if God made the truth of His existence obvious, it would undermine faith by making believing too easy, as faith requires a "leap" that is made in the face of uncertainty.

Question 6

Discuss the basis for your own religious belief or lack of belief in light of the views of Clifford, James, Pascal, and Kierkegaard.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the basis for your own religious...

Question 7

Answer the following question from the text:
Try to imagine the following sort of world: A world with more abundance than anyone could use up, including space for living; people with free will but with a tendency toward good (as we are now supposed to have a tendency toward selfishness or evil); people with bodies that can suffer some painful injuries and diseases but can't be in agony or be maimed or be killed. In this world, people can have adventures and take risks and display moral qualities, although not to the degree that we can (because of the limits on suffering).
a. Is there anything contradictory about this world? Explain.
b. Would such a world be better or worse than our own? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Answer the following question from the text:
Try...

Question 8

Whether you are a believer or not, explain how you think a believer might try to justify the amount of suffering in the world? You think this justification is ultimately successful?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Whether you are a believer or not,...

Question 9

Suppose you began to have some "visions." How would you decide whether they represented some objective reality or were merely fantasies or hallucinations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose you began to have some "visions."...

Question 10

What do you think of the fideist idea that the intellectually difficult aspects of religion are a test of faith? Would that be a fair test?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do you think of the fideist...

Quiz 5: God and Suffering

"It is wrong always and everywhere and for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence." This quote is from

Pascal's "wager argument" is designed to show that

William James says that we may believe in God without evidence if

The idea that God tests our faith by making religions seem irrational is called

According to Kierkegaard, if God made the truth of his existence obvious, it would have

Discuss the basis for your own religious belief or lack of belief in light of the views of Clifford, James, Pascal, and Kierkegaard.

Whether you are a believer or not, explain how you think a believer might try to justify the amount of suffering in the world? You think this justification is ultimately successful?

Suppose you began to have some "visions." How would you decide whether they represented some objective reality or were merely fantasies or hallucinations?

What do you think of the fideist idea that the intellectually difficult aspects of religion are a test of faith? Would that be a fair test?