1

Positions on the Theistic Arguments

Richard G. Howe, Ph.D.

Perhaps not surprisingly, there are

different views on whether or how there is

any relevance for the theistic arguments.

2

It might be surprising to some, however, that the different views do not fall along the lines of

theists and non-theists.

In combining the options of theists and non-theists together with the options of

relevant and irrelevant we get these results.

3

Non-theists - irrelevantNon-theists - relevantTheists - relevantTheists - irrelevant

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

non-Theists / Irrelevant

Theists / Irrelevant

non-Theists / Relevant

Theists / Relevant

4

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

Ludwig Wittgenstein1889 - 1951

5

Alfred Jules Ayer1910-1989

Kai Nielsen

6

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

David Hume1711-1776

7

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

Richard Swinburne

8

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

Thomas Aquinas1225-1274

Summa Theologiae

9

Etienne Gilson

Norman Geisler

10

Edward Feser

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

11

Søren Kierkegaard1813-1855

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick),

12

John Hick1922-2012

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is

primary (Blaise Pascal),

13

Blaise Pascal1623-1662

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is

primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).

14

Cornelius Van Til1895-1987

Cornelius Van Til1895-1987

15

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is

primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).

AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be

established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)

Robert Jastrow1925-2008

16

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is

primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).

AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be

established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)

AtheistsArguments surface important philosophical

issues. The evidence proves atheism.(J. L. Mackie, early Antony Flew, Theodore

Drange, Michael Martin)

J. L. Mackie1917-1981

17

J. L. Mackie1917-1981

Antony Flew1923-2010

18

Antony Flew1923-2010

Theodore M. Drange

19

Irrelevant

non-

Thei

sts Theists

Relevant

Logical PositivistsArguments are metaphysically or linguistically

meaningless.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein, A. J. Ayer, Kai Nielsen)

SkepticsArguments are epistemologically impossible.

(David Hume)

EvidentialistsArguments are not strictly proofs but build a

cumulative case for theism. (Richard Swinburne)

ThomistsArguments are proofs. Theism is established.

(Thomas Aquinas, Etienne Gilson, Joseph Owens, Norman Geisler, Edward Feser)

ExistentialistsArguments are relatively or entirely

unnecessary. They have little to nothing to do with religion. Religion is not primarily

propositional but experiential.(Søren Kierkegaard)

Fideists / PresuppositionalistsArguments cannot establish religious first

principles. Religion is not propositional (John Hick), or religion is propositional but faith is

primary (Blaise Pascal), or God is transcendentally "argued" (Cornelius Van Til).

AgnosticsNot all of the evidence is in. Theism may be

established with further proof.(Robert Jastrow)

AtheistsArguments surface important philosophical

issues. The evidence proves atheism.(J. L. Mackie, early Antony Flew, Theodore

Drange, Michael Martin)