God and the Current Science

Authors

  • Juan Manuel Torres Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.50.010

Keywords:

Classical Theism, Contemporary Theism, Cosmological Argument, Intelligent Design Theory, Pseudoscience

Abstract

Today at least three arguments are being discussed that, based on the results of scientific research, try to prove the existence either of a cause of the physical universe, one of them, or of an intelligence transcendent to it, the other two. These arguments are: the cosmological argument, the theory of intelligent design and the anthropic principle. Here we present a synthesis of the first two and make an evaluation of their worth from the philosophy of science. Unlike classic theistic demonstrations, also based on science, such as Thomas Aquinas’1st and 5th ways, developed in his Summa Theologica or that of Newton in his Principia, none of the current arguments cited conclude that God exists, if we understand by "God" an omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent being, in other words, the Biblical God. They stop on step before, entrusting to Philosophy the task of continuing and demonstrating that this first cause or that transcendent intelligence is God. In addition to giving our judgment on the probative value of the cosmological argument and of the intelligent design theory, we demonstrate, based on the usual notions of science and pseudoscience, that the latter is a genuine scientific hypothesis. In this way, we refute the spreading and false affirmation that this theory is a case of pseudoscience.

Author Biography

Juan Manuel Torres, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

El autor es licenciado en filosofía por la Universidad del Salvador y doctor en filosofía por la Universidad Nacional del Sur. Sus principales contribuciones pertenecen al ámbito de la filosofía de la ciencia, con especial referencia a la filosofía de la biología y de la medicina. Posee numerosos artículos en revistas internacionales de filosofía y de ciencia, entre ellas, el Journal of Philosophy and Medicine, Medicine Health Care and Philosophy, The Journal of the History and Philosophy of Science, Biology Forum, Human Gene Therapy y Philosophia Naturalis. Actualmente, retirado como profesor de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, dicta en ella y otras instituciones cursos latinoamericanos para graduados e investigadores de filosofía y ciencia.

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Published

31-12-2021 — Updated on 01-04-2022

Versions

How to Cite

Torres, Juan Manuel. (2021) 2022. “God and the Current Science”. Philosophia 81 (2):135-55. https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.50.010.

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