1. God Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

2. Introduction The wars in Iran and Afghanistan The Islamic Community Center in NYC Religious arguments over abortion, stem cell research, etc. The rise of neurotheology

3. Historical Perspectives Anthropocentrism Deism Theism Atheism Agnosticism

4. Arguments in Favor of Theism Ontological Proof (Plato, Anselm) – “God is the being than which nothing greater can be conceived.” – Argument from Value Ideas of good and bad – Deduction of external reality of God from the internal idea of God. Cosmological Proof (Aristotle, Aquinas) – Existence (uncreated creator) – Motion (unmoved mover) – Causality (uncaused causer) – Design (designer) Other Proofs – Authority Personal revelation Revelation of others (authority of others) Authority of scripture – Persistence of the Idea Deism Theism – Neurotheology

5. Arguments Against Theism The Problem of Evil The Problem of Free Will – Determinism – Divine Foreknowledge The Political uses of Religion – Control the masses – Religious Persecution – Wars over Religion Religious Pluralism – Is there one “True” religion? Conflicts with Science

6. Questions