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Wade Tisthammer, Spencer Hawkins Discuss The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism

  • February 12, 2018
  • 5 comments
  • 2 minute read
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  • Cameron Bertuzzi
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On Thursday, February 15, I’ll be hosting a new live discussion between Wade Tisthammer and Spencer Hawkins on The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism (EAAN). More info on my guests can be found below. We’ve covered this topic in the past, but this time we’re featuring new guests (and we’re getting a bit more organized). The EAAN has two major theses that need defending: (i) the probability thesis and (ii) the defeater thesis.

The discussion goes live at 8pm Central (6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern) on Thursday, February 15, 2018. Here’s the link to view live (and watch later):

Click Here to View the Live Event

Wade Tisthammer (Christian) graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics. He currently works as a software developer and is a philosophy student at the University of New Orleans. He blogs regularly at www.maverick-christian.org.

Spencer Hawkins (non-Christian) studies philosophy at Arizona State University, and he’s the author of the book Contra Christian Apologetics, which takes a skeptical look at many of the common arguments for Christian theism. He also blogs at https://secularstudent.wordpress.com/.

The EAAN

Alvin Plantinga has famously argued that the probability that our evolved brains (given Naturalism) would produce mostly true beliefs is low. But notice, we normally take for granted that our brains are producing mostly true beliefs (e.g.: my belief that I have two hands, that I had Starbucks this morning, that Austin is the capital of Texas, and so on). However, if, on Naturalism, our evolved brains aren’t reliable, that is, they don’t produce mostly true beliefs, then we’ve got a defeater for all the beliefs produced by our brains, including belief in (the conjunction of) Naturalism and Evolution. It follows from this that we ought to give up belief in either Naturalism or Evolution (or both). That’s the basic argument.

Here it is in premise/conclusion form. N&E is shorthand for the claim that Naturalism & Evolution is true. R is shorthand for the claim that our cognitive faculties produce mostly true beliefs:

(1) The probability that R is true given N&E is low.
(2) Anyone who accepts (believes) N&E and sees that (1) is true has a defeater for R.
(3) Anyone who has a defeater for R has a defeater for any other belief she thinks she has, including N&E itself.
(4) If one who accepts N&E thereby acquires a defeater for N&E, N&E is self-defeating and can’t be rationally accepted.

Premise (1) above is what’s called the “Probability Thesis” and (2) the “Defeater Thesis.” It is Wade’s contention that (1) and (2) are true, while Spencer has objections to both.

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Cameron Bertuzzi

Cameron is a professional photographer and founder of Capturing Christianity, a ministry aimed at exposing the intellectual side of Christian belief. He is a writer, speaker, and uses his ministry to host discussions and interviews on Christian Apologetics. Cameron is married to a beautiful wife and is the father of two adorable children.

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Barry
Barry
7 years ago

I really hope Spencer doesn’t appeal to experience to show that evolved brains produce true belief, or that if he does that Wade calls him on it.

An evolved brain (Spencer’s) appealing to its own experience to confirm the truth of its experience is circular.

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sillymuddle
sillymuddle
7 years ago

I don’t like the EAAN. I think it successfully establishes (given evolution – naturalism is not required) that what we reason should be doubted. The reply is that, that’s totally true. We should doubt what our intuition and reasoning tells us is true. However, in the case of evolution, we don’t just rely on our own reasoning/intuition, but have rigorous scientific investigation which attempts to safeguard against that error. The argument then rebounds on beliefs in God: given that there’s valid reasons to believe evolution is true, which avoid the EAAN defeater, so all our innate beliefs should be doubted.… Read more »

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Marcus
Marcus
3 years ago
Reply to  sillymuddle

Have you read stephen meyer , douglas axes and Michael behes books

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sillymuddle
sillymuddle
7 years ago

So thank you all for the debate. Here’s my two cents (not that anyone cares, but I enjoy thinking about this sort of thing)…. In the first part, I don’t understand Spencer’s objection. The argument being offered is one about how we should assess *epistemic* beliefs (ie. Bayesian sense of probability, not a frequentist one). We’re asking “Should we believe naturalism, or not?” or “Should we believe in God or not”. For that question, it’s irrelevant if God is metaphysically necessary (in the sense he exists in every possible universe) or not. If you simply take the same argument and… Read more »

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Joe
Joe
6 years ago

Very nice job guys I thought the discussion was very good and informative and fun to listen to. I think one way of understanding this argument is to think about dreaming. I might have content in my beliefs (when I am dreaming) that I am thirsty and I am getting up to get water. But my body is not doing that it is still laying there asleep. Or maybe I am sleep walking and but my body is going in some other direction than i think or even in a different environment than what i think in the dream entirely.… Read more »

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