Rel 375-06.  Exam #1, on Method and God.  Sept. 20, Wed

On the day of the exam, at the beginning of class, one of you will pick a card which will determine the question of those below which everyone must answer.  You each can then select a second one to answer,  You will have the whole class time to do this, up to 5:45.

1.   The Method of Faith

      a.   Describe the type of faith, of those listed on p. 5 of the Reader, which makes the most sense to you and why, as well as thoe one which makes the least sense to you and why.

      b.   Of the 9 methods for arriving at or sustaining religious faith, pick the one or two on which you rely the most and explain why you think it is valid.  (If you do not have religious faith, explain why you take that position – e.g., lack of evidence?  Religions cause harm? See pp. 56-57.

c.   Explain which of the “theologies about faith” (9-12) is closes to the positions you take in a) and b) here – or if you do not have religious faith, which theology is furthest from your position and why.

d.   Present a full argument for or against the proposition that the method of science is based on faith, using the material on p. 23 of the Reader.

2.   The Method of Science

      a.   Describe the method of science as portrayed in the diagram with “FIT” at the center of the four sets of squares (explain each of the four parts plus the notion of “fit.”

      b.   Explain why this method of science can be called simply a very precise and exhausting public form of the everyday method people use to determine what is true or not.

      c.   Explain the nature of scientific testing as “If A, then B” logic, and why this prevents any final and total proof of any theory.

      d.   Explain the postmodern arguments against the universal validity of science, and the counter-arguments to this po-mo position.

3.   The Reality and Nature of God

      a.   Describe how the basic Judaeo-Christian view of God differs from polytheistic notion of a god, and from Stoic and Platonist ideas of the one divine reality.

      b.   Briefly describe each of the “Three Notions of God” (43-44) and each relates to some form of naturalism.

      c.   Describe Anselm’s notion of God; explain a bit what he means.

      d.   Summarize Aquinas’ 3^rd “proof” for God’s existence; also explain what he says we can know about God in this life.

4.   Science-Based Atheism

      a.   Explain the concept of “god of the gaps” and how it could support a drift towards atheism.

      b.   Describe Feuerbach’s argument that we create God as a super-version of ourselves, and how we thereby sacrifice our autonomy

      c.   Summarize Dawkins’ argument that religious faith is harmful, and McGrath’s criticism of Dawkins’ position.  Explain whether you think McGrath’s response is valid.

      d.   Summarize briefly Rahner’s analysis of the human relation to infinite mystery and how this relation can be an implicit belief in God.