William lane craig born 1949 is a christian apologist formerly associated with campus crusade for christ. In this book two philosophers of opposite viewpoints debate the question. The topic is examined in terms of its implications for a. Pdf theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology researchgate. Physical cosmology purports to establish precise and testable claims about the origin of the universe. God and atheism on trial theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology clarendon paperbacks atheism and theism pizza recipes.
I aim to produce a valid argument for gods nonexistence, not a sound one. Both then addressed some more recent developments, such as stephen hawkings no boundary version of big bang cosmology. Cosmology and theology stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Quinn 1996 philosophy and phenomenological research 56 3. A critique of quentin smiths atheistic argument from big. Disproof atheism is disbelief in the existence of god based on a comprehensive critique of proofs of gods existence and a growing web of empirical and conceptual disproofs of gods existence. Thus, cosmology bears directly on traditional metaphysical claims in particular, claims about whether the universe has a creator i.
The point is that insofar as the failure of the bigbang model would not undermine theism, so the success of. Firstly, a christian played a pivotal role in the science of the big. Or the current big bang might have been a big bounce. Graham oppy, theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology. Was the big bang with which the universe began created by god, or did it occur without cause. You see, if the big bang cosmology is correct, the initial singularity m. I dont even need to be an atheist, just understand the mathematical foundations of physical cosmology to know that the big bang i. So if this universe had a beginning, then the cause of the universe can not be a part of the universe. Advances in modern cosmology have prompted renewed interest in the intersections between religion, theology and cosmology. Indeed, chris isham 1993, 405 has suggested that quantum cosmologys description of a boundaryfree universe accords quite well with theisms insistence that god sustains the universe at all times. The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular science books, but has received scant attention the question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular.
Is the big bang cosmology a theistic or atheistic theory. What is the atheists explanation for the cause of the big. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology article pdf available in faith and philosophy. His basic thesis is that the contradiction between the uncertain natural parameters of the big bang on the one hand, and the concept of creation and its. Even more extremely, suppose that the bigbang model were disconfirmed in favor of some model that posits a universe without beginning e. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology by william lane craig.
The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular science books, but has received scant attention from philosophers, william lane craig and quentin smith, who by turns defend opposing positions in alternating chapters. In theism, atheism and big bang cosmology, philosophers quentin smith and william craig discuss these and other fascinating questions. Cosmology is one of the predominant research areas of the contemporary world. You can read online theism and cosmology here in pdf, epub, mobi or docx formats. According to atheists, what was responsible for the creation of the universe. We make sure that our database is constantly expanded and updated so that you. Recent discussions have raised the issue of the metaphysical implications of standard big bang cosmology. The answer which is a bit buried is its an atheistic theory of cosmic origins. In the context where this quote was taken, what smith most. This book sets out to fill this gap by means of a sustained debate between two philosophers, william lane craig and quentin smith. Pdf on jan 1, 1996, graham oppy and others published theism, atheism, and big. Evidently some atheists have agreed that big bang cosmology supports theism, and so have doubted big bang cosmology. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology william lane.
This article, which is intended as a brief introduction to the series of. Smith countered at length, arguing that big bang is inconsistent with judeochristian theism, and that, in particular, the big bang has no cause. Smith coauthored the book theism, atheism and big bang cosmology with william lane craig. Smith has written papers arguing for the nonexistence of god. Wilson 1996 american catholic philosophical quarterly 70. The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public.
The big bang is a misnomer for it is not some kind of explosion since there was nothing that existed to explode. Downloading theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology clarendon paperbacks from our website is easy, so you shouldnt have any problems with it even if youre not very techsavvy. So, to answer the question is the big bang cosmology a theistic or atheistic theory of cosmic origins. Big bang cosmological argument by francois tremblay. Although smith writes in theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology that my argument is simply that the existence of god is inconsistent with the classical big bang theory. Contemporary science presents us with the remarkable theory that the universe began to exist about fifteen billion years ago with a cataclysmic explosion called. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology oxford scholarship. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology books store. What is the upshot of cosmology for the claims of theism. The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and. Atheist physicsts have been pretty open about the theological implication of the big bang, and it has been the explicit driving factor of many eternal universe scenarios such as steady state and the oscillating model. And indeed, big bang cosmology does provide prima facie support for theism. Atheism, theism and big bang cosmology 1991 quentin smith the following article was originally published in australasian journal of philosophy.
In theism, atheism and big bang cosmology, william lane craig and quentin smithtwo philosophers who have pursued all of the strategies just mentionedclaim to have begun philosophical debate about big bang cosmology. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology oxford university press. Contemporary science presents us with the remarkable theory that the universe began to exist about fifteen billion years ago with a cataclysmic explosion called the big bang. From a modern perspective cosmology is a historical science in so far. God and the big bang the veritas forum the veritas forum.
Space, time, matter, cosmos proceedings of the 8th symposium honoring mathematical physicist jeanpierre vigier. He has authored or edited over 30 books including the kalam cosmological argument. Pdf theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology clarendon. Perhaps the best argument in favour of the thesis that the big bang supports theism is the obviousunease with. The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular science. How atheism led me to faith the real face of atheism divinity of doubt. But the history of science tells a different story. Cosmology, calendars, and horizonbased astronomy in ancient mesoamerica.
It is laid out in a debate style format wherein one author puts forth their case that is subsequently followed by a. By contrast, the response of atheists and agnostics to this development has been comparatively lame. In the film the theory of everything, stephen hawking portrayed by eddie redmayne claims that cosmology is a religion for intelligent atheists. This is clear from wks statements beginning with you dont get to start with the laws of physics in the big bang cosmology. Craig and quentin smith, theism, atheism and big bang. Renaissance theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology clarendon paperbacks quantum physics of time cosmology, brain, mind, and time travel how consciousness became the universe quantum physics, cosmology, relativity, evolution, neuroscience, parallel universes the unknown universe. In our book theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology 1993, quentin. The question of whether big bang cosmology supports theism or atheism has long been a matter of discussion among the general public and in popular science books, but has received scant attention. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology clarendon paperbacks. In the popular psyche today, the big bang is remembered as another triumph of science over christianity, because it confirms the age of the universe and offers a scientific explanation for its beginning. Whereas the theistic interpretation of the big bang has. Theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology edition 1 by. Is big bang cosmology in conflict with judeochristian.