Philosophy

Pre-Reference : Anthropic Principle, Wikipedia The New Oxford American Dictionary defines the Anthropic Principle as "the cosmological principle that theories of the universe are constrained by the necessity to allow human existence. In its ‘weak’ form the principle affirms that a universe in which living observers cannot exist is inherently unobservable. ‘Strong’ forms take this line of reasoning further, seeking to explain features of the universe as being so because they are necessary for human existence." In this note, I would like to just highlight the chief epistemic issues associated with this Principle. Related Topics:  Hegelian Dialectical Idealism (the Phenomenology of the Mind: Evolution of Consciousness); Schopenhauer's philosophy of the Will, Advaitin Philosophy, Madhyamaka (Sunyavada), the Heisenberg Principle and Consciousness, Naturalism, Determinism, Aristotelian Logic, Process Philosophy, Creationism, Cosmological Argument, Teleological Argument, Intelli...

From Marbaniang, Domenic.  Philosophy of Science, 2007, 2011  ( Amazon ; Lulu , ITunes ) Evolutionism concerns the problem of the origin and nature of living reality. Evolutionism, in science, refers to the theory that ‘the many complex organisms now existent descended or evolved from relatively fewer and simpler organisms.’[1] The hypothetical nature of evolutionism, despite accruement of evidences in support yet inability to verify in prediction or through experimentation, has led some to label it as being not a scientific theory but a philosophical one.[2] Supposed evidence for organic evolution comes from comparative anatomy, study of vestigial remains, embryology, blood and fluid tests of animals, examination of fossils, study of geographical distribution, domestication and experimentation, and classification.[3] The theory of evolution doesn’t simply end at ‘the fewer and simpler organisms’. The ultimate problem is how life itself originated. The religious or purely philosophical...

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…” (John 1:10-12) The sense of belonging is an amazing epistemic quality among humans. The animal world is not without it: the lioness with her cubs, the elephant with her calves, and the eagle with her eaglets portray a picture of attachment that are the subject of many a story, movie, and a documentary novel. But, in humans the sense is qualitatively different. It is epistemic and existential. Martin Buber talked of its occurrence in two worlds of relationships: the I-It (related to the world of utility) and the I-Thou (related to the world of relational bonds). Where the sense of I-Thou doesn’t exist, dehumanization occurs. Estrangement is a horrific aftermath of a loss of the Thou in the I-Thou world of epistemic and existential ...

1 . The Problem of Evil is a problem that relates to Theology, Cosmology, Anthropology, Ethics & Politics, Soteriology, and Eschatology, chiefly; then, also to the other doctrines. Therefore, its solution is pivotal. 2. Any theology that claims to be systematic, but fails to address the Problem of Evil sufficiently is severely defective. It cannot be systematic; and if it is, its foundations are weak. 3. Any Systematic Theology that relegates the Problem of Evil to the realm of mysteries is a blank theology. 4. To unstrap the Problem of Evil is to touch the heart of reality; to feel the heartbeat of God. The brow of Prince Siddhartha wrinkled up in deep pondering. He thought hard, and forgot the world around – all the whisperings of servants, chirpings of birds, and the presence of his wife nearby. The four scenes that he had recently seen occupied his thoughts as the dusk turned into the dark night. Sickness, decay, and death on one hand and the tranquility of the ascetic on the o...

From Epistemics of Divine Reality Principles of Rational Fideism Four principles of rational fideism will be discussed here. The principles follow from the subjective-objective hypothesis of rational fideism and the discussion of the Indian criterion. The principles are as follows: Consistency is not the same as conceivability. The rationality of Revelation requires the consistency of its content. However, the inability to conceptualize the Divine as reported by Revelation cannot be qualification for its rejection as being inconsistent. Conceptions are basically empirical. Therefore, an attempt to conceptualize the Divine is tantamount to doing empirical epistemics and not rational fideistic epistemics. To cite as an example, it is evident that the doctrine of Trinity must not be approached empirically. For that will only lead to frustration. Consistency is not the same as correspondence; for in that case, the positivist law of verification would determine theological justifiability. B...

From Epistemics of Divine Reality (2007, 2011) pp. 213-214 The Trinitarian perspective of the Divine as Triune (Unity in Trinity) and the image of God in man as a social unity of plurality (‘male and female…multiply…have dominion’) has been seen as one way of resolving this existential dilemma of unity-plurality. The Divine Community created the human community in its own image of unity in plurality, a concept that cannot be explained fully in either rational or empirical terms. The existential element that harmonizes the paradoxical senses is the divinely rooted gift of Love. Love is neither rational nor irrational, it is trans-rational, it is spiritual (‘the fruit of the Spirit’). It flows from Divine Nature, the Trinity, and resolves the confoundedness of sin-stricken humanity. Sin brings confusion, [1] according to the Bible, because of its revolt against relationships for the sake of the ego, that wants to be autonomous. It begins with a revolt against the Divine Community, which...

[slideshare id=9461387&w=427&h=356&fb=0&mw=0&mh=0&style=border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;&sc=no] Epistemics of Divine Reality - Philosophical from Domenic Marbaniang