PHL220H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Good And Evil, Theism, Atheism
Document Summary
Lecture topics: atheism vs. theism (1) ivan"s view: existential atheism: existing without god . Metaphysical atheism vs. existential atheism (2) zosima"s view: existential theism: existing with god . Existential theism and connection to traditional religious mysticism: ivan"s argument. The argument that ivan presents on bk p. 245 may be represented schematically as follows: _______________________________________________________________________________: therefore, redeeming the suffering of the innocent is impossible. [by 2, 3, 4: therefore, god"s world cannot be accepted. The logical structure of ivan"s argument may be represented symbolically as follows: p q, [assume] q (r or s, r - q, s - q. 5. q - q [by 2,3,4], i. e. , q is impossible, therefore: - q. This argument is an example of a reductio ad absurdum. The strategy of a reductio is: assume p, show how it leads to an absurd conclusion, i. e. , a contradiction: (q - q, therefore, can conclude: - p, zosima"s reply.
