Category: Intermediate
Free Your Mind
It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to have a revulsion against the idea that humans possess genuine free will. Even when there is logical and deductive proof that we do possess this genuine freedom, many go to great lengths to reject it. With that said, however, those devoted to determinism do not think they have … Continue reading Free Your Mind
Could Adam Avoid the Apple?
Question: “On molinism, is it possible that Adam could have not sinned? If so, then there is a world where Adam was righteous but God didn’t actuate it. If not, then there is no world in which Adam was never able to not sin, and yet God actuated that world. So, did God knowingly actuate … Continue reading Could Adam Avoid the Apple?
Molinism, Identity, & Worlds
Is Molinism truly compatible with the idea of persons in other possible worlds? Can it really be possible that there is a counterfactual truth about me such that “If I were born in the 18th century, I would have sided with the American colonials against the British”?
Are Miracles Metaphysically Impossible?
“It’s impossible for God to interact in the physical world. For example, say we have a material object and God wants to move it. Newton made it clear: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, since God is an immaterial being He could never cause anything to happen or occur in the material/physical universe. … Continue reading Are Miracles Metaphysically Impossible?
Mere Molinism: Proving the Two Pillars
Christians both agree and disagree on several theological issues. Despite these differences on certain points, what keeps Christians united is what C.S. Lewis referred to as “Mere Christianity.” Keeping it “mere” means focusing on the one simple statement: “God raised Jesus from the dead.” If this one proposition is true, then Mere Christianity is true as … Continue reading Mere Molinism: Proving the Two Pillars
Why Divine Determinism is False
One significant debate in the church today involves God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. At face value, these two concepts might appear to be mutually exclusive, and thus, many churchgoers feel the need to “pick a side.” This debate usually divides the Church into two opposing forces: Calvinism vs. Arminianism. Calvinists are quick to affirm the exhaustive providence of God; … Continue reading Why Divine Determinism is False
Do Computers Think Creatively?
In his essays on “Robots and Rationality” and the “Chinese Room,” Tim Stratton pointed to why it is unreasonable to think of machines and computers as being rational beings. One of his primary points is that rationality requires understanding and intentionality, two things that machines do not have. In this article, I want to tackle … Continue reading Do Computers Think Creatively?
Freethinking in a Chinese Room
The Freethinking Argument deductively proves that the human soul exists and that we possess libertarian free will. Many seem determined to oppose these deductive conclusions as they possess a revulsion against the idea that humans are actually responsible freethinkers. Given this revulsion, these determinists desperately try to find a way to refute one of the four … Continue reading Freethinking in a Chinese Room
Make America Great
Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the … Continue reading Make America Great
Homosexuality, Tattoos, & the Sabbath
In a television episode of The West Wing, President Josiah Bartlet (played by Martin Sheen) is aggravated by a conservative female talk-radio personality who defends calling homosexuality an “abomination” by citing Leviticus 18:22 — “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” This aggravates the liberal president who later … Continue reading Homosexuality, Tattoos, & the Sabbath