Inference to the Best Explanation of Divine Origin

Xanah Wells

PHIL320-101

Third Analytical Paper

03/13/2015

The purpose of this discussion will be to explore ways of understanding ancient and contemporary philosophical arguments for or against the existence of a divine origin. We search for an ultimate explanation of everything observable on which everything depends for its existence and properties, yet not everything has or can have an explanation. What we do have is evidence that can be weighed to infer different explanations as the source. A way to analyze the evidence and arrive at the best explanation is using a method called inference to the best explanation. This paper will start by discussing the inference to the best explanation method, then explore the different explanations we have available called the three world views, and then discuss the evidence available to infer which explanation would seem to best fit the evidence. I will end the discussion by arriving at my own conclusion of what seems to be the best explanation to the various evidence we have available, although you are welcome the use the inference to the best explanation method to arrive at your own conclusion.

First, I would like to explain the inference to the best explanation method. The model of inference to best explanation seeks to characterize the notion of good evidence. The first step in this method is to identify our argument. Our argument for exploring this method will be that well known facts about religion provide an interesting source of potential evidence for different world views. Evidence will be labeled “e” in this discussion, with sub-numbers to identify each piece of evidence. The potential evidence that will be discussed after the three world views are the following:

e1. Religious diversity   

e2. Ubiquity of religion   

e3. The ubiquity, but also diversity, of religious (mystical) experiences   

e4. The cosmological big bang   

e5. The cosmic coincidences   

e6. Natural evil   

e7. Moral...