Defenders Podcast Defenders: Excursus on Natural Theology (Part 4): Defeaters of Properly Basic Beliefs
40 snips
May 4, 2022 Explore the intriguing concept of properly basic beliefs and how they can clash with opposing views. The dynamics of personal experience and belief are examined, highlighting moral objections faced by skeptics. Delve into the validity of religious experiences and the critical role of the Holy Spirit in affirming faith. The discussion also addresses the challenges of maintaining faith beyond rational justification, suggesting it can stand as a properly basic belief in its own right.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Properly Basic Beliefs Can Still Be Defeated
- Belief in God can be properly basic yet defeatable by other accepted incompatible beliefs.
- Alvin Plantinga's analogy: a wrongly accused innocent person may properly rely on their basic belief of innocence to defeat strong evidential pressure.
Use Apologetics To Address Defeaters
- Use apologetics to supply defeaters for objections like the problem of evil, e.g., the free will defense.
- Present arguments prayerfully while trusting the Holy Spirit to work on the listener's heart and break down false confidence.
Courtroom Example Of An Intrinsic Defeater
- Plantinga's courtroom example: an innocent accused whose knowledge of innocence defeats overwhelming evidence against him.
- Craig uses it to illustrate how a properly basic belief can intrinsically defeat external evidential pressure.