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    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

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    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that God is intelligent

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Spinoza argues that God is infinite substance whose attributes include thought, but not as a discrete faculty directed toward ends like human intelligence.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Clarke's causal principle—that perfections must exist at least as greatly in the cause—assumes univocal predication, but Aquinas himself held divine intelligence is only analogically related to creaturely intelligence.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.If 'intelligence' applies to God only analogically, the term may be so transformed in meaning as to lose the descriptive content Clarke's argument requires.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason for 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Hume's Dialogues shows apparent order in nature can be explained by blind natural selection, material necessity, or chance without invoking intelligence.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Analogical reasoning from human artifacts to a cosmic designer commits an illicit inference across radically dissimilar domains of causation.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.There are intelligent beings in the world
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Intelligence is a perfection
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A perfection must exist to at least as great a degree in the cause as in the effect (causal principle of sufficient reason)
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.The world exhibits order and beauty
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Order and beauty in the world indicate an intelligent cause (teleological argument)
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.