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    Simplicity is not always a reliable criterion for determi... — Carmelics
    Home/Natural Theology
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Simplicity is not always a reliable criterion for determining which hypothesis is true or provides the best explanatory account.

    Natural Theology
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    0 reasons for
    1 reason against

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
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    • 1.The rise of quantum explanations suggests that the simplest account of the universe (e.g., Newton's) is not a complete and fully adequate account.
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    • 2.Events in the subatomic realm are far from explained simply.
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    • 3.An explanation in terms of ten factors might be simpler than one in terms of four because the relationships among the ten are less complex than those among the four.
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    Natural Theology

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    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.
    An explanation in terms of ten factors might be simpler than one in terms of fou...
    Events in the subatomic realm are far from explained simply.
    The rise of quantum explanations suggests that the simplest account of the unive...

    Similar

    Likelihood does not automatically translate into a measure of how stro...79%The most promising defense of criteriological criteria is that the cri...79%There is at least some provisional reason for thinking that hypothesis...78%The criteria must be shown to be good indicators of truth78%

    Source

    AI-extracted3/3 agreementValid
    SEP: cosmological-argument
    Ostrowick 2012 and text discussion
    View source passageHide passage
    Moreover, God is the simplest kind of person there can be because a person is a being with power (to do intentional actions), knowledge, and freedom (to choose, uncaused, which actions to do), and in God these properties are infinite, and having infinite properties is simpler than having properties with limits, as humans do. “It is always simpler to postulate infinite or zero degrees of some property than a certain precise finite value of it” (Swinburne 1983: 385). Furthermore, God engages in simple causation, that is, causation by simple intention. Swinburne concludes that although the prior ...
    Extraction notes

    Validity: The premises are directly stated in the source passage as reasons supporting the conclusion that simplicity is not always reliable, and they do rationally support (not attack) that conclusion—though the argument is labeled as an "attack" on Swinburne's reliance on simplicity, the premises rationally establish the stated conclusion, and the argument is clearly present in the passage.

    Confidence: Explicitly raised critical questions about Swinburne's reliance on simplicity.

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    1 (0 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit