On Friday, November 30, I debated philosopher Daniel Dennett at Tufts University on the topic, "Is God a Man-Made Invention?" This was my third debate against a leading atheist, following my debate with Michael Shermer at Oregon State University and my debate with Christopher Hitchens at the Ethical Culture Society in New York. The auditorium at Tufts filled up so quickly prior to the Dennett debate that the organizers had to have a second overflow room where viewers could watch the fireworks on a big-screen TV. (You can watch the full debate here.)
Dennett surprised me a little by showing up with a power-point presentation. I hadn't agreed to this in advance, but I didn't object. I thought to myself, "I'm not sure what advantage slides are going to give him in a format like this one." Dennett spoke first for 25 minutes, and sure enough, he made full use of those slides. He had quotations from me up there, and he challenged me to defend them. I was impressed by Dennett's preparation, and also by his avulcular "grandpa" style, an effect enhanced by his white Santa beard. Atheism is a grim philosophy, but Dennett more than anyone else makes it seem harmless and even charming.
Normally I would use my opening statement entirely to make the case for God's existence. But I didn't want Dennett's allegations to go unrebutted for too long. So I devoted the first five minutes to puncturing some factual and historical holes in Dennett's argument. Then I proceeded to make my case. Of course I conceded that religion is a man-made invention, but I argued that modern science has over the past century produced remarkable discoveries that affirm and support the argument for God's existence. In doing so I recognized that I was challenging Dennett not only on his home campus, Tufts university, but also on his home turf, which is a philosophical atheism rooted in science.
We each had two five-minute rebuttals which produced lively exchanges about the Big Bang and about whether the universe is fine-tuned for life. Then there was a lengthy question-and-answer session. Given that the audience was mostly made up of Tufts students sympathetic to Dennett's atheism, a majority of the questions was directed at me. Most memorable for me was the philosophically-minded savant who pooh-poohed the possibility of God's existence on the basis of what he called the Principle of Parsimony. He argued that either propositions are true by definition, or they are true by empirical verification. If a proposition cannot satisfy either criteria, then it is meaningless. Since God does not exist by definition, the young man insisted, and since we cannot verify His presence empirically, clearly God has been refuted by the Principle of Parsimony.
I asked our undergraduate savant to apply his twofold test to the Principle of Parsimony itself. Is it true by definition? No. Well, can it be verified empirically? Again, no. Therefore by the student's own criteria the Principle of Parismony is worthless and can be cast aside. The student had no comeback to this and neither did Dennett.
So who won the debate? That's for you to decide. You can watch the whole thing here, and then you can cast your vote on the resolution and on who came out on top.
Watch the videos of the debate after the jump.Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
Part 5:
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Is God a Man-Made Invention?
Posted Dec 2nd 2007 11:22PM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Science, Christianity, Controversy, Atheism
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Reader Comments ( Page 43 of 44)
631. pboyfloyd
Calvin and Luther would be rolling over in their graves the way some carry on about free will...it's really a novel doctrine if one considers the whole of the christian church tradition.
Dwight Welch at 12:55AM on Dec 6th 2007
632. 523. Linda, not just tablets! but cities my dear guurl! Yes, archaeologists have found the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah etc...physical, tangible proof! What more do you want my dear?
xxxxxxxx
What is that historical tangible proof OF to you?
The cities existed, so did jericho evidently, and it helps secular history. I found everything about the ebla digs to be interesting as were the nag hammadhi finds and the qumran finds and others I can't think of now.
It is not, nor are any others in any way evidence of anything supernatural.
No archaeologists have found anything evidentiary of a supernatural being involved with any culture they've found so far.
The ebla tablets show some of the origins of the abrahamic religions including their roots in earlier sumerian and other legends.
They don't in any way prove there was anything supernatural running the lives of these people. In fact, I wonder if they had camels. I'd bet they didn't but haven't looked it up.
The bible is a composite of many partial histories and myths written in many languages with many bases in human thought that are much much older.
Some of the secular history is corroborated by archaeology and some is not.
None, repeat none, not one scintilla of evidence has ever been found for any of the miraculous claims of the bible.
These are routinely debunked by archaeology, like the myth of moses or accounts of the flood or creation or the existence of a city called nazareth.
Clif Kuplen at 2:38AM on Dec 6th 2007
633. 5 elements.(actually 7)...was here before any form or book..came and gave laws through speech..and can never die.. ruler of heaven and earth..i am who i am....god or man? some call me son of man....some call me son of god.....what am i????
THIN KING ACE/JESUS CHRIST at 12:38PM on Dec 6th 2007
634. The Bible is the most *incredible* book ever written because it was revealed to man by God. - PJ Bal
--------------------------------------------------
Dictionary:
in·cred·i·ble (n-krd-bl)adj.
1. So implausible as to elicit disbelief:
--------------------------------------------------
Thesaurus:
1. incredible - beyond belief or understanding;
unbelievable
unconvincing, flimsy - not convincing
incredulous - not disposed or willing to believe
;unbelieving
implausible - having a quality that provokes disbelief
unthinkable - incapable of being conceived or considered
----------------------------------------------
Well at least you used the right word in that sentence.
fabio at 12:10PM on Dec 6th 2007
635. bump
fabio at 2:51PM on Dec 6th 2007
636. Genesis suggests the reverse: Man is a God-Made Invention.
Michael at 9:09PM on Dec 6th 2007
637. If not a man-made delusion then by what or whose?
S. Dean at 1:30PM on Dec 7th 2007
638. the reason He destroyed the world with a flood was that man had no rules for integrity, honesty, or goodness. consequently every man did that which was good in his own eyes---and it was only evil continuosly. - jo ann
Well I'm glad he set things right. The peace and harmony and prospersity that humanity has enjoyed since the flood is something to be proud of.
fabio at 3:05PM on Dec 7th 2007
639. This is an Appeal to Ignorance. Nobody's proven the existence of a god, but nobody's disproven the existence of a god, either. So the argument really went nowhere.
To brian (i had a friend who dies yesterday of cancer. i am damn glad there was no atheist around to tell the family bill's life was one cosmological accident and his life had no meaning past here. yes whatever you want to call atheism it is GRIM.): Only the truly coldhearted would ever say that, atheist, Christian, or otherwise. You have a narrow definition of what an atheist is and for that I pity you. Death is something felt by humans, and is outside of religion. Yes, you may lean on your faith to get through the hard times, but your faith only offers you hope, while others around you are physically THERE to support you and comfort you. That's what death does; it brings the people together.
Anyways, I think that because we don't understand the universe, and we used to fear the elements of nature, we created deities to explain why certain things happen. I think the infinite universe is infinitely more awestriking and terrifying than the existence of a God.
Justine Y. at 1:21AM on Dec 9th 2007
640. Frist off, if you believe in the Bible then, it say's we are created in God's image. We are not God. So we have no right to judge this fellow or other's like him or anyone for that matter. By doing so we are not believing in God. Life is about knowlegde of God and knowing that we are not nembre uno or number one. Let other's believe what they wan't and if they choose to believe in the future the door will be open
danny at 7:02AM on Dec 13th 2007
641. I'm not sure if I believe in God. One thing I do know though, is that the Bible is a FABULOUS fairy tale.
Karin at 5:20PM on Dec 7th 2007
642. Has D'Souza so quickly forgotten his shellacking at the hands of Christopher Hitchens? The idea that we are more than an advanced mammalian species ascended from primates is simply an attempt to cheat death, and utilizing a concept of god and religion is an abhorrent means by which greedy sheister cults advance their wealth (at the expense of the credulous).
THIS is heaven. In fact, checking the little pole shows that there are a great many non-believers. I was please by the numbers of those who refuse to capitulate to glaze eyed indoctrinators, and to see life for what it is. Let's hope we can prevent one of these cults (religions for you believers) from destroying our planet.
Michael Labbe at 6:04PM on Dec 7th 2007
643. Is God a man-made invention? I want to say "yes - duh" but am somewhat shocked that we continue to ask this question in 2007.
Shawn Bushway at 7:39PM on Dec 7th 2007
644. i'd say that if you believe in God you could go to heaven or you could go to hell..if you don't believe in God you could go to hell or you could go to heaven..any body out there know for sure??being a decent person could be the deciding factor irregardless of what you think..i'm only giving my opinion because i'm not God..
raymond at 9:31PM on Dec 7th 2007
645. Actually, atheism is a philosophical view that either rejects theism or affirms the nonexistence of gods. But I don't expect the believers in a sky-god to accord me the same courtesy they demand for themselves: to respect the differences.
anyacat at 11:33AM on Dec 8th 2007