1. Kevin Vandergriff

2. Prior Probability in Terms of Simplicity Christian Theism Specified Naturalism (Hypothesis of Indifference) 1 - A maximally powerful 2 - Intelligent 3 - And Good 4 - Supernatural Person 5 - Created the universe 6 - For the purpose revealed by Jesus of Nazareth 1 - The universe may or may not be factually necessary. 2 - No maximally evil supernatural person or persons exist. 3 - No maximally good supernatural person or persons exist. 4 - The universe doesn’t exist for a purpose. 5 - The condition of conscious beings on Earth (animals) is not the result of maximally good or maximally evil persons. 6 - The condition of self-conscious beings (humans) is not the result of maximally good or maximally evil persons.

3. Generic Naturalism  Definition: The physical world explains why anything mental exists.  This definition doesn’t have enough content  Mr. Lowder needs the Hypothesis of Indifference!  Christian theism is roughly equal in simplicity with Specified Naturalism

4. God Exists Necessarily Two Facts Imply This:  1-The Origin of the Universe  2-The Existence of the Something Rather than Nothing

5. The Origin of the Universe  Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem shows that all matter, space, and time had an absolute beginning  Shuttlecock  Universe has to have an efficient cause  Metaphysical time can precede physical time without contradiction  Effects can be simultaneous with their causes

6. Why Is There Something Rather Than Nothing?  Key Premise: Everything that exists, has an explanation of it’s existence, either in the necessity of it’s own nature, or in an external cause  c  Even if the universe is eternal, it requires an external cause

7. Does Physical Matter Support Naturalism?  No; God’s Goodness entails the existence of a value-generating universe

8. Does a Hostile Universe Support Naturalism?  No; The rest of the universe is physically necessary for Earth, and life on Earth to exist  Too many interventions implies a less than Perfect God

9. Does Evolution Support Naturalism?  No; Evolution happened too quickly to be unguided  Life on Earth, appears as early as physically possible  Evolution may have been God’s only option

10. Does Pain and Pleasure Support Naturalism?  No; Evolution is Metaphysically Necessary  Laws of Nature are Metaphysically Necessary

11. Does Languishing and Flourishing Support Naturalism?  No; Evolution is Metaphysically Necessary  Laws of Nature are Metaphysically Necessary

12. Does Pain and Pleasure Support Naturalism?  Desire satisfaction alone doesn’t explain objective flourishing (Darwin’s Thought Experiment)  Theism Explains why Pain and Pleasure PREDOMINANTLY Contribute to Human Flourishing and Survival and Reproduction!

13. Does Languishing and Flourishing Support Naturalism?  Animals aren’t self-aware  Animals that aren’t persons, don’t have a right to life

14. Does Triumph and Tragedy Support Naturalism?  No; Look around! Tragedies aren’t the rule in our world  Life is worthwhile  Evolution would be blind to all of God’s morally sufficient reasons for allowing evil in the world  Humans didn’t have to be resilient in the face of tragedies on naturalism  We are hard-wired to find meaning, purpose and comfort in the face of tragedies  Divine Comfort should be case by case

15. Does Mind-Brain Dependence Support Naturalism?  No; it is logically impossible to create another being with a soul that can perform actions  How do you get consciousness from non- conscious matter on naturalism?  Moral responsibility doesn’t require libertarian free will

16. Does Ethical Disagreement Support Naturalism?  No; God’s reasons would be the same as ours  Morality is Independent of God  Some moral issues are inherently indeterminate  We have room to grow

17. Does Divine Hiddenness Support Naturalism?  No; The Absence of Evidence isn’t necessarily evidence of absence.  Is there non-resistant non-belief?  Do you need to have awareness of the other person(s) required for meaningful relationship?

18. Mr. Lowder’s Case for Naturalism 5 IndependentArguments 3 Dependent Arguments  Evolution  Hostile Universe  Mind-Brain Dependence  Tragedy and Triumph  Ethical Disagreement  Divine Hiddenness  Pain and Pleasure Not Always Morally Necessary  Languishing and Flourishing *One Unconfirmed Prediction: An eternal and uncaused universe exists.

19. Alleged Understated Evidence  So much of our universe is intelligible without any appeal to supernatural agency.  So much of the universe is hostile to life  Embodied moral agents are the result of evolution  The only known moral agents are embodied  Our universe is not teeming with embodied moral agents, including agents much more impressive than humans  Variety and frequency of conditions that severely limit our freedom  Moral responsibility requires libertarian free will

20. Kevin’s Case for Christian Theism God is the Best Explanation of: 1-The Origin of the Universe 2-Why Something Rather than Nothing Exists 3-The Formational Economy of the Universe 4-The Connection Between Moral Beliefs and Necessary Moral Truths 5-The Connection Between Necessary Moral Truths and Flourishing 6-The Existence of Self-Awareness 7-The Worthwhileness of Life