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Theism Is Rational

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Posted by Harvey on November 8, 2001 16:21:50 UTC

Jisbond,

Theism is a rational attempt to explain the universe since it makes use of rational principles. A rational principle states that whatever follows is based on the truth of the premise. In the case of any formal system (i.e., rational system) that premise must simply be true (e.g., God exists).

An irrational attempt to explain the universe is to appeal to an infinite chain of causes or circular cause (i.e., no first cause). For example, if I said that the reason that a mathematical equation for x is true is because the derivative of x is true, and x' is true because that derivative is true, so on and so on, then I would be offering an irrational argument. For there to be a rational argument I should arrive at first principles (or axioms) that I hold to be true. In the case of the Universe, then can be no referrent to the axioms, so the only possible referrant is mystery itself. This is rational, any other type of argument is by definition irrational.

Warm regards, Harv

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