Creation and Science: Philosophical Arguments Against a Naturalistic Worldview

We have been discussing biblical theology, and specifically the beginning of the biblical storyline: Creation. We spent two weeks on thinking about creation and science, and I thought I'd post some of the information from the handouts I gave out. Here is the one on philosophical arguments against a naturalistic worldview (ie. one that sees everything as simply a product of natural processes as opposed to supernatural. Below are some of the arguments we looked at.

1.      Cosmological Argument- Every known thing in the universe has a cause.  Therefore, the universe itself must also have a cause, and the cause must be an infinite and non-contingent being (i.e. God). To watch a video presentation click here

a.       Basic syllogism (argument)

                                                              i.      Whatever begins to exist has a cause (cause and effect)

                                                            ii.      The universe began to exist

                                                          iii.      Therefore, the universe had a cause

b.      More complex version shows this cause had to be something outside the universe

                                                              i.      Every finite and contingent thing has a cause.

                                                            ii.      Nothing finite and contingent can cause itself.

                                                          iii.      A causal chain cannot be of infinite length.

                                                          iv.      The universe is finite and contingent.

                                                            v.      Therefore, an infinite non-contingent First Cause must exist in order to explain why the universe exists.

2.      Teleological Argument- The fact that the universe has a design to it points to the fact that there is an intelligent designer.  Two illustrations:

a.       You find a watch on a mountain top.  Do I assume it is a product of chance + time or an intelligent designer made it?

b.       In our experience, language (communication) always comes from a source of intelligence. DNA is a form of communication, a language of sorts.  This implies intelligence is behind its design.

3.      Anthropic Principle- A sub-category of the teleological argument.  The universe seems to have been designed to make life possible on Earth.

a.       The number of things that must line up in perfect balance to make life on earth possible are staggering (think about all the other known planets- we could survive on none of them).

b.      Examples of things which must be within narrow margins to make life possible

                                                              i.      Distance between the earth and sun

                                                            ii.      The chemical makeup of water and its properties (ex. when it freezes it is more buoyant and stays at the top of the lake instead of the bottom).

                                                          iii.      Ratios of atmospheric gas

                                                          iv.      Axis of the earth

                                                            v.      Expansion rate of the universe

c.       The chances of all the details being in place to support our fragile life here is essentially nothing if it was not intelligently designed.

4.      Ethical Argument- The ethics that seem to be implied by naturalistic evolution are morally reprehensible and do not adequately explain virtues such as love, courage, and sacrifice.

a.       Some consistent evolutionists say rape is “a natural, biological phenomenon that is a product of the human evolutionary heritage,” akin to “the leopard’s spots and the giraffe’s elongated neck.” (Why Men Rape, quoted in Total Truth, by Nancy Pearcey, pg 211)

b.      If evolution and survival of the fittest is true, why care for the sick, crippled, or those with defects?

     “If we think we came into existence simply by accidental process, then we may feel accountable to no one. Yet such freedom is lonely. It is purposeless. And it is false. It is the freedom that ignores evidence of design in the world, that rejects the idea that people are special to God, and that clones human beings only to grow spare parts with them and then discard them. This is what we call naturalism. Naturalism is the philosophy that says, since God did not make us, we are only as special as we want to think of ourselves as being. So we kill babies in the womb and old people in nursing homes for our own convenience” (Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, pg. 69).

c.       What are love, courage, and sacrifice?  In a naturalistic view it is simply a bunch of chemicals that make us feel good so we will ensure the survival of our species.  How do we explain a man risking his life to pull a wounded soldier from the line of fire or firefighters going into the world trade center to rescue others?

5.      Irreducible Complexity – Darwin said, “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, then my theory would absolutely break down” (Origin of the Species, pg. 154).  Modern science has shown that:

a.       Genetic mutations do not result in the formation of new genes (Pierre-Paul Grassé, Evolution of Living Organisms, pg. 217).

b.      The cell, in order to function, must have all its complex parts from the start.  Otherwise it is just a piece of non-functional, organic rubbish.  So, the cell, which is foundational to life, could not have developed by numerous, successive, slight modifications (see Michael Behe, Darwin’s Black Box).