1. THE DEBATE BETWEEN
COPLESTON
AND RUSSELL

2. INTRODUCTION - page 20 What religious position does Copleston take?
What religious position does Russell take?
What do they both agree the definition of God to mean?
What do they disagree on in the introduction?

3. THE ARGUMENT FROM CONTINGENCY - pages 21-23
What is a contingent being?
What is a necessary being?
Why does Copleston believe that there must be a necessary being?
Why does Russell disagree with him?
Which of Kant’s criticisms of the Ontological Argument does Russell refer to?
Why does Copleston reject trying to prove God a’priori?

4. THE PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON - page 24
What is the principle of sufficient reason?
Why does Copleston believe that God creating the universe is a sufficient reason?
What does Russell think about looking for a sufficient reason for the universe?
What does Copleston think about Russell’s views?

5. THE UNIVERSE IS THE TOTALITY OF THE OBJECTS
INSIDE IT – pages
Why does Copleston argue that the universe must have a cause?
Why does Russell disagree with him?
What is the Fallacy of Composition?
What does Copleston say about science and cause and effect? See summary booklet to help you.
What does Russell say about science and cause and effect?
See summary booklet to help you.

6. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE – pages 28 - 30
What sort of argument is Copleston proposing for the existence of God?
What is a mystical experience?
Why does Copleston believe that mystical experiences prove the existence of God?
Why is Russell sceptical of mystical experiences?

7. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE – pages 28 - 30
What does Russell say about fictional characters?
How does Copleston respond to Russell’s point about fictional characters?
What does Russell say about religious experience and Satan?
How does Copleston respond to Russell’s point about Satan?

8. RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE – pages 28 - 30
What does Copleston believe is a good indicator of whether someone has had a religious experience?
Why does Copleston think that we should believe people who live a moral life when they say that they have had a religious experience?
Why does Russell disagree with Copleson’s ideas above?
What does Russell mean when he says that religious believers are ‘loving a phantom’?
How does Copleston respond to Russell’s point above?