Plantinga / Denett debate NEW science/religion conflict audio

by Spook 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  Spook

  I thought some people would like to know that Alvin Plantinga (thiest) and Daniel Denett (atheist) had a good debate at the recent central meeting of the American Philosophical Association here in the Midwest over the compatability of science and religion.

  http://apologetics315.blogspot.com/2009/02/alvin-plantinga-daniel-dennett-debate.html

  I like this debate because - as opposed to more "popular" debates which just rehash well covered arguments, there are some NOVEL and NEW arguments presented between these parties that will strike all the self-educated philosophy fans on this board as neat, especially those who are very familiar with the traditional arguments. For the uninitiated, these debates invovle some pretty technical and weighty formal language.

  I had two theist Phd friends at this event, but I couldn't attend. They concurred Plantinga had an interesting position but made the weaker case.

  The audio is poor quality, but the content is very good.
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  BurnTheShips

  Wow. Plantinga/Dennett. I am a fan of Plantinga. That must be a titanic debate. I really have to watch this one when I get home.

  Thanks

  BTS
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  BurnTheShips

  Here is a "play by play:"

  http://prosblogion.ektopos.com/archives/2009/02/an-opinionated.html

  This is part of the impression this person had. I will have to listen to make up my mind.

  On another note, I walked around and listened to various conversations (not eavesdropping really, just listening for loud reactions to the session). The Christian philosophers were particularly interesting. They were not upset, surprised or even moved. They were wholly unphased. They were so unphased that they weren’t even discussing the session. I was floored at Dennett’s behavior but they reacted as if Dennett’s hateful, childish behavior was to be expected. I thought they would be upset, but from what I can tell they simply expected Dennett to compare theistic belief to holocaust denial and to advocate murdering the Almighty. I guess I was wrong to expect more from him.

  In my estimation, Plantinga won hands down because Dennett savagely mocked Plantinga rather than taking him seriously. Plantinga focused on the argument, and Dennett engaged in ridicule. It is safe to say that Dennett only made himself look bad along with those few nasty naturalists that were snickering at Plantinga. The Christians engaged in no analogous behavior. More engagements like this will only expand the ranks of Christian philosophers and increase the pace of academic philosophy’s desecularization.

  BTS
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  Spook

  Yeah, I admire several things about Plantinga's other arguments in general, too, which are probably only of interest to very few people on this board. I think you'll find the review above a bit harsh and largely unwarranted. My theist philosopher friends certainly did feel that way - the one being a huge Plantinga fan.

  Plantinga was trying to establish at least a few very unorthodox positions - which I admire asthetically. At one point, for example, trying to establish that evolution is impossible or unlikely given naturalism. I admire the gusto of that argument for the sake of debate, but think it fails.

  I just really liked encountering at least some new thoughts on this subject.
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  BurnTheShips

  You may enjoy some of Plantinga's writings available on his website:

  http://philofreligion.homestead.com/plantingapage.html

  I've been meaning to read "God and other minds" for years.

  BTS
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  Spook

  God And Other Minds is interesting, tries to establish that there may be a "sensus divinitas" whereby theists know God and comparing this to the way we know other people have minds.