Episode 61 - The Simple Episode
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 22 min
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Episode description
Episode 61 – Show Notes
Occam’s Razor shows us how simple explanations are superior to complex ones and so simplicity is a concept that might lead us to believe in God as this one simple concept – a supernatural personal agent – can explain all the complexities of the world. We try to assess this line of thinking, especially using the work of the Oxford Christian philosopher Richard Swinburne who favours the approach. This then leads into the doctrine of Divine Simplicity which was prominent in the Medieval church (eg Aquinas). Of course Andrew brings us down to earth with what the Bible says about God and his simplicity.
Links:
BBC In Our Time podcast on Occam
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007m0w4
Learned articles on Occam:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/simplicity/
... and on Divine Simplicity
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/divine-simplicity/
To find a place where Swinburne’s ideas that Ed describes are set out without reading his book:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/
Start well down where it says “In place of a deductive argument, Swinburne develops .....”
The Unbelievable? Show which has Swinburne discussing with Bart Ehrman on suffering
https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-10-jan-2009-the-problem-of-suffering-ehrman-and-swinburne/11625.article
Doubts Aloud Links:
Please give feedback and ask questions using : doubtsaloud@gmail.com
Join the Facebook Group discussions:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023280847835278/
Meet us all in person again at the monthly “Unbelievable Christian and Skeptic Discussion Group” in central London, see:
https://www.meetup.com/Unbelievable-Christian-and-Skeptic-Discussion-Group-London
Occam’s Razor shows us how simple explanations are superior to complex ones and so simplicity is a concept that might lead us to believe in God as this one simple concept – a supernatural personal agent – can explain all the complexities of the world. We try to assess this line of thinking, especially using the work of the Oxford Christian philosopher Richard Swinburne who favours the approach. This then leads into the doctrine of Divine Simplicity which was prominent in the Medieval church (eg Aquinas). Of course Andrew brings us down to earth with what the Bible says about God and his simplicity.
Links:
BBC In Our Time podcast on Occam
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007m0w4
Learned articles on Occam:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/simplicity/
... and on Divine Simplicity
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/divine-simplicity/
To find a place where Swinburne’s ideas that Ed describes are set out without reading his book:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/
Start well down where it says “In place of a deductive argument, Swinburne develops .....”
The Unbelievable? Show which has Swinburne discussing with Bart Ehrman on suffering
https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-10-jan-2009-the-problem-of-suffering-ehrman-and-swinburne/11625.article
Doubts Aloud Links:
Please give feedback and ask questions using : doubtsaloud@gmail.com
Join the Facebook Group discussions:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023280847835278/
Meet us all in person again at the monthly “Unbelievable Christian and Skeptic Discussion Group” in central London, see:
https://www.meetup.com/Unbelievable-Christian-and-Skeptic-Discussion-Group-London
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