Bro wore a durag to an oxford debate 😭

I still consistently feel amazed that this content is available online for free. I'm not sure there is anything of higher class than a philosophy of religion debate at Oxford University. Until the last ten years this was reserved for society's most elite. I feel like a lost farmhand who has accidently stumbled through the wrong doors and found himself amongst the intellectuals.

2:25 Richard Swinburne For the proposition (start of the debate) 24:35 Peter Millican Against the proposition 41:12 Richard Swinburne Response 52:11 Peter Millican Response 59:32 Richard Swinburne concluding statement 1:04:45 Peter Millican concluding statement

Thank you gentlemen, a stimulating debate.

I love we still have a platform for real debate, bit it's our last area of it, mostly we have lost any ability to discuss, if we disagree then we seemingly have to hate eachother and take sides, debate is the most important part of progress

I hate the comments under such debates.

Awesome! I admire Richard Swinburne and Peter Millican is such a gentle and clever opponent.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Who else wants a copy of the handout?

happy to see that a lot of people especially youth still interested to hear valuable debate , i see most of people only interested in nonsense social media materials , professor Richard is one of the best philosopher in the last 40 years

OK, i will post this as my comment. Someone below opened his comments with the following words, "I see a confused and old man". I responded, "I see a confused commenter making confused (i.e., category error) comments that exposes more the commenter's atheistic bias than anything else. When i read this comment, my initial thought was, 'Man, Dr. Swinburne must have done poorly here.' But then i listened carefully to the ENTIRE debate and, surprise suprise! Swinburne presented a logically coherent and well-constructed argument for the hypothesis that the God of classical monotheism best explains existence compared to an atheistic hypothesis (and took head on point by point Dr. Millican's critique). In the end all Dr. Millican can argue was the 'evil God' hypothesis as an equally valid argument for the 'good God' argument based on the data. But that's not necessarily an atheistic argument." You can disagree with Dr. Swinburne, sure. No argument is unarguable. You can punch holes in his argument (as Dr. Millican did), sure. But it's neither rational nor sane to characterize his presentation as confused. C'mon! Having listened to Dr. Swinburne before, I shouldn't have been surprised that he did very well (mind you, at the age of 87?!).

Professor Swinburne is 87 years old and still doing this. You have to have an unbelievable mind to do this.

How can one determine the probability of something that they cannot show to be possible? My intuition tells me that there's a categorical fallacy with such a claim, but I'm genuinely curious

I’m sorry but from the opening argument of Mr. Swinburne, I already see an issue. God is in no way a valid use of Occam’s razor. It creates as many issues (if not more) than it resolves in this case, I.e “Where did he come from? If god exists and made the universe, why make it the way it is? “ and so on.

Wow great line up!

42:15. "A purpose that's nobody's purpose, that don't make sense to me." That is metaphor, that is teleology used as a short cut explanation of a dysteleological process.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO BIG TALK

Swinburne started off with a (imo very vague and weak) argument for what seemed like deism, and then he rapidly tacked on the properties of omnipotence, omniscience, and omni benevolence. Even if he had proved the existence of a deistic god, the extension of all these properties and also to be personal is arguably a far bigger challenge

I LOVE YOU PEOPLE OVER THERE THIS FOR SHUR GIVES THE HUMAN ❤️HEART A PLACE TO SEE AND START TO CHOOSE 🧬LIFE LOVE KINDNESS & CHANGE

Why we knocking the wrong door? Why so feel in shape as par mindset ... Energy , Energy , Energy , motions, feelings, light, heat.heal,feel the magic of universal soul...

Swinburne is a titan. Great debate.

Question: There have been thousands of gods throughout history. Which one you believe in depends on when and where you were born. Why does that not tell you that people just make up stuff for things they don't understand? How do you know the god you believe in, is the real one? What are the odds statically?

A segment from 'Saved by the Light of the Buddha Within'... My new understandings of what many call 'God -The Holy Spirit' - resulting from some of the extraordinary ongoing after-effects relating to my NDE... Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what some scientists are now referring to as the unified field of consciousnesses. In other words, it’s the essence of all existence and non-existence - the ultimate creative force behind planets, stars, nebulae, people, animals, trees, fish, birds, and all phenomena, manifest or latent. All matter and intelligence are simply waves or ripples manifesting to and from this core source. Consciousness (enlightenment) is itself the actual creator of everything that exists now, ever existed in the past, or will exist in the future - right down to the minutest particles of dust - each being an individual ripple or wave. The big difference between chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and most other conventional prayers is that instead of depending on a ‘middleman’ to connect us to our state of inner enlightenment, we’re able to do it ourselves. That’s because chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo allows us to tap directly into our enlightened state by way of this self-produced sound vibration. ‘Who or What Is God?’ If we compare the concept of God being a separate entity that is forever watching down on us, to the teachings of Nichiren, it makes more sense to me that the true omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of what most people perceive to be God, is the fantastic state of enlightenment that exists within each of us. Some say that God is an entity that’s beyond physical matter - I think that the vast amount of information continuously being conveyed via electromagnetic waves in today’s world gives us proof of how an invisible state of God could indeed exist. For example, it’s now widely known that specific data relayed by way of electromagnetic waves has the potential to help bring about extraordinary and powerful effects - including an instant global awareness of something or a mass emotional reaction. It’s also common knowledge that these invisible waves can easily be used to detonate a bomb or to enable NASA to control the movements of a robot as far away as the Moon or Mars - none of which is possible without a receiver to decode the information that’s being transmitted. Without the receiver, the data would remain impotent. In a very similar way, we need to have our own ‘receiver’ switched on so that we can activate a clear and precise understanding of our own life, all other life and what everything else in existence is. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day helps us to achieve this because it allows us to reach the core of our enlightenment and keep it switched on. That’s because Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what scientists now refer to as the unified field of consciousnesses. To break it down - Myoho represents the Law of manifestation and latency (Nature) and consists of two alternating states. For example, the state of Myo is where everything in life that’s not obvious to us exists - including our stored memories when we’re not thinking about them - our hidden potential and inner emotions whenever they’re dormant - our desires, our fears, our wisdom, happiness, karma - and more importantly, our enlightenment. The other state, ho, is where everything in Life exists whenever it becomes evident to us, such as when a thought pops up from within our memory - whenever we experience or express our emotions - or whenever a good or bad cause manifests as an effect from our karma. When anything becomes apparent, it merely means that it’s come out of the state of Myo (dormancy/latency) and into a state of ho (manifestation). It’s the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness, being awake or asleep, or knowing and not knowing. The second law - Renge - Ren meaning cause and ge meaning effect, governs and controls the functions of Myoho - these two laws of Myoho and Renge, not only function together simultaneously but also underlies all spiritual and physical existence. The final and third part of the tri-combination - Kyo, is the Law that allows Myoho to integrate with Renge - or vice versa. It’s the great, invisible thread of energy that fuses and connects all Life and matter - as well as the past, present and future. It’s also sometimes termed the Universal Law of Communication - perhaps it could even be compared with the string theory that many scientists now suspect exists. Just as the cells in our body, our thoughts, feelings and everything else is continually fluctuating within us - all that exists in the world around us and beyond is also in a constant state of flux - constantly controlled by these three fundamental laws. In fact, more things are going back and forth between the two states of Myo and ho in a single moment than it would ever be possible to calculate or describe. And it doesn’t matter how big or small, famous or trivial anything or anyone may appear to be, everything that’s ever existed in the past, exists now or will exist in the future, exists only because of the workings of the Laws ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ - the basis of the four fundamental forces, and if they didn’t function, neither we nor anything else could go on existing. That’s because all forms of existence, including the seasons, day, night, birth, death and so on, are moving forward in an ongoing flow of continuation - rhythmically reverting back and forth between the two fundamental states of Myo and ho in absolute accordance with Renge - and by way of Kyo. Even stars are dying and being reborn under the workings of what the combination ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ represents. Nam, or Namu - which mean the same thing, are vibrational passwords or keys that allow us to reach deep into our life and fuse with or become one with ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’. On a more personal level, nothing ever happens by chance or coincidence, it’s the causes that we’ve made in our past, or are presently making, that determine how these laws function uniquely in each of our lives - as well as the environment from moment to moment. By facing east, in harmony with the direction that the Earth is spinning, and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo for a minimum of, let’s say, ten minutes daily to start with, any of us can experience actual proof of its positive effects in our lives - even if it only makes us feel good on the inside, there will be a definite positive effect. That’s because we’re able to pierce through the thickest layers of our karma and activate our inherent Buddha Nature (our enlightened state). By so doing, we’re then able to bring forth the wisdom and good fortune that we need to challenge, overcome and change our adverse circumstances - turn them into positive ones - or manifest and gain even greater fulfilment in our daily lives from our accumulated good karma. This also allows us to bring forth the wisdom that can free us from the ignorance and stupidity that’s preventing us from accepting and being proud of the person that we indeed are - regardless of our race, colour, gender or sexuality. We’re also able to see and understand our circumstances and the environment far more clearly, as well as attract and connect with any needed external beneficial forces and situations. As I’ve already mentioned, everything is subject to the law of Cause and Effect - the ‘actual-proof-strength’ resulting from chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo always depends on our determination, sincerity and dedication. For example, the levels of difference could be compared to making a sound on a piano, creating a melody, producing a great song, and so on. Something else that’s very important to always respect and acknowledge is that the Law (or if you prefer God) is in everyone and everything. NB: There are frightening and disturbing sounds, and there are tranquil and relaxing sounds. It’s the emotional result of any noise or sound that can trigger off a mood or even instantly change one. When chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day, we are producing a sound vibration that’s the password to our true inner-self - this soon becomes apparent when you start reassessing your views on various things - such as your fears and desires etc. The best way to get the desired result when chanting is not to view things conventionally - rather than reaching out to an external source, we need to reach into our own lives and bring our needs and desires to fruition from within - including the good fortune and strength to achieve any help that we may need. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo also reaches out externally and draws us towards, or draws towards us, what we need to make us happy from our environment. For example, it helps us to be in the right place at the right time - to make better choices and decisions and so forth. We need to think of it as a seed within us that we’re watering and bringing sunshine to for it to grow, blossom and bring forth fruit or flowers. It’s also important to understand that everything we need in life, including the answer to every question and the potential to achieve every dream, already exists within us.

Watched all of it 1:08:27

"God" and "exists" - two undefinable concepts and a real discussion

Swinburne is great! Amazing thinker and debater. Thanks for uploading this debate

35:06 there is actually a few ways mountains form: plates sliding over one another for example

I liked the add.

Great debate. For anyone that wants to see an extensive engagement and rebuttal to Swinburne's work (and the works of other Theists), I'd recommend taking a look a look J.L. Mackie's _The Miracle of Theism_ which is widely regarded as one of the best defenses of Atheism ever published.

Probably not one defined by religions

In my opinion, there were way too many, It Is so Because I Believe It Is so And so Do Many Others, answers for such a prominent debate in such an esteemed arena.

As someone who's been schooled in the scientific method whereby supporting evidence is required to prove the existence of something, I would be very tempted, if I were speaking to the question, 'Does God exist?', to just say, "No," and sit down.

God debates are now more entertainment than any new argument.

"Scientist DO prefer the simplest explaination." No they don't. They prefer the correct explanation, no matter how complex it may be! If they prefered the simplest explanation, they would just say, like you are, that god that is capable of doing all of this ....did it. (Psssst- that's not what scientists do)

Just a lttle example of human body design. Body nerves are like electrical naked copper wire and insulated copper wire with plastic rubber sheet. The nerve are two typle one called Myelinated(insulated) by fiber sheet and Non Myelinated. The diffrence is the first allows fast pulse movement and the second is slower pulse movement. My question who designed such complex nerve system?

"How can a person be so sure something does not exist if at the same time they claim they are open minded enough to consider something might exist outside of their current knowledge"

The entire arguement from the affirmative is that: I can't imagine how any of this could "be" without god doing it ...therefore ...god. This is the classic "arguement from ignorance". Because you can't imagine (explain) how something is, you don't get to just come up with an explanation (imagine a god) to explain it. His whole arguement is a "presupposition": god exist, therefore all this stuff. He has created a god that is capable of creating what he can not otherwise explain and is using this god as his explanation. The arguement is quite "circular". He has offered zero actual evidence for the existance of god ...only a supposition. As smart as he is, he doesn't seem to know the difference between a "claim" and actual "evidence".

If you want some better perspective, not that stretched on Christian part, would recommend Aquinas 101 on Thomistic Insitute channel. I disagreed with both speakers, as I think Catholic thought offers better account of for example the moral problem, without going to compensating, or paying back by God. So yeah, something to check out maybe :)

Mr. Swinburne can come to my house at bed time to help me get to sleep by lecturing me until I snooze.

which one?

Just because we know nothing about almost everything, we cannot say there is God. Similarly just because we can explain a negligible fraction of nature, we cannot say that there is no God. That is why I am neither an atheist nor a believer. I am an agnostic who is uncertain about both the conclusions. However, if there is God then we all are His/Her children and it's foolish to kill one another in the name of religion.

I think God can represent different things to different people. I'm not religious but I still believe you got to believe in something...whatever it is.

Alors il est temps de revoir la définition de la ( Matière). Comme nous avons revue la définition du (Temps) mettons nous aux travail. Une vraie et honnête définition de la Matière s'impose.😎

Good to see these guys have matured and evolved lol. Same argument for 40 years . Just cos the maths was too hard for one of them?

The way Swinburne explains is absolutely soothing 🙌

Wow! We have killed each other, children have died of hunger, mothers have died during childbirth, others have been enslaved and there’s still too much suffering in this world - all these we’re told are part of a divine plan for the greater good….and I wept!

When was this?

The truth of belief on the existence or non existence of God will be reveal to each and one at the appointed time. Time will do the work...

It's all about how you define 'God'.

Swinburne sounds so intelligent.

two colossuses!

Where is Swinburne's hand-out, to which he refers on several occasions?

Freewill from matter, chance and energy? No. Therefore there is a creator ✅

This question was beautifully answered and explained simple. by the one of the great teacher of our time Jiddu Krishnamurti.

Mr. Swinburne, did the God you say exists write all the Holy books?

If god knows everything past present and future even if he doesn't have a plan forward as claimed, if he knows how it's going to turn out then why test it?

*No.*

Maybe God is like a videogame developer. And the idea of the game is: ,, A character has to figure out how the 'system' he's living in works. Only by achieving a 100% "Knowledge Score" the character is able to meet it's 'developer'. I'd have to play that videogame over and over again, because It'll take eternity to reach 100% on my own. And that's why there's multiplayer-mode! Plus, you get more than 1 'life'! Dead doesn't mean "game over" ! It means: Try again! The game is called: "Escape Reincarnation".

Those who deny Divinity renounce to elementary logic intentionally, while the following simple reasoning is proving God's existence: *This reality, with us into it, is not the result of nothing, or the result of no intelligence, because from no intelligence involved, no intelligence comes.* Furthermore, while all what we are asked by the Creator is to love (strive for) perfection (wisdom / goodness / justice, pure love...), only those who want to use freedom for evil are opposing to God/Jesus. *_"Be perfect therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect"_* Matthew 5, 48 Unfortunately, too many people have refused over history, and too many still refuse nowadays, to follow this.

If one cannot think of something that cannot be thought of, how did we think of a creator?

God exists and always will be as he created us and everything. Punct

27:28 "Nor should I argue for Atheism generally, I'll just attack his position of Theism." Can anyone recommend a single Theism vs Atheism debate where the Atheist doesn't do this? I haven't found one yet. It seems they're all commiting fallacies of scientism which causes them to erroneously conclude they don't have any burden to provide rational reasons to believe their stance is true. I'm beginning to suspect they're doing this because they simply cannot provide any valid & sound arguments in favor of their position.

Though I disagreed with him in the aspect of Religion, Peter Millican is my Favourate Philosopher.

May be you find the answer in regression and progression theories of Dr.Brain Weiss books ...

It makes no sense to conflate morality with creation from a scientific perspective. Clearly, morality has evolved as we have, so where is the evidence for a God demanding or requesting it?

Millican saying God doing something across all time by divine fiat having no correspondence with our experience of the universe.... isn’t that what laws of physics are? Theists agree that God is in the plane of laws, ideas, mathematics, and it fits with our experience. Someone show me what I’m missing in his argument.

One cannot prove or disprove God. And what purpose is served in doing so? Those who believe the reason for existence is God will continue to do so. If that gives them satisfaction, purpose, and a satisfactory answer then that doesn't prevent another from adopting the opposite or another reason for existence. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."

For intelligent man to ascribe the production of the world to a casual jumble of atoms, is more senseless and ridiculous than all the fables of the poets. I’m utterly dumbfounded!

Am I really hearing right, " it is good for the person to die defending their country" Question: Who said they felt good dying for their country? How good will it be for the people that love them!

I quite agree that every person has the right to choose for themselves whether to believe in Our God Yaweh, of the Bible or to Reject the whole message of Salvation, as they will , according to the Bible be judged on Judgment day, and as Jesus said if they reject you, shake the dust from your feet and leave.

Yes: - The High Priestly Prayer, John 17:1-26. - The Sermon on the Mount, Mat:1-48 - Judgment on False Teachers, Jud 1:3-16 - Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

My dawg has the most 🔥 durag I've ever seen

... Does a bear s*** in the woods?

Thank you For this message. I know God is real. God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord is my strength. But I feel so alone and ashamed please pray for me. I’m a single mother with two autistic children. I lost my job for declining the vaccine. I declined due to my pre existing health condition Lupus and heart disease. I have been struggling to provide for my children since. We are facing homelessness at the end of this month. Please keep me in your prayers. I have faith God will provide abundantly for me and my children. I will keep faith.

Did I spot Oliver Crisp in the audience?

So as he said if we have something god doesn’t have which is we are capable of doing evil , but god created disease and natural disasters which is considered by him an evil not created by human and god can’t do evil as he mentioned before who has done this ??? I’m just at 23:26 minutes so I’m looking forward to an answer !!! Also a question I have why those who fell at this so called test will suffer for eternity??? Why they are not just eliminated from the game ??

Is this actually a debate at a destinguished university? Loads of words in the first ten minutes that actually dont make any difference for mankind or helps develop thinking minds.

Children of Kaine didn’t inherit belief, this was mentioned by other prophets.

Please share my two brief videos with other people. Thank you!

Atheists renounce to elementary logic and to simple rationality intentionally when they believe that this reality has always existed without any intelligence involved, because *from no intelligence involved no intelligence comes and the results of a process prove the intelligence involved into that process. That is why the entire process until nowadays is proving the existence of God.* This reality has been created intentionally so that freedom to be 100% offered, God wanting to see the *free* choices/deeds to reward accordingly. *_"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad."_* 2 Corinthians 5, 10 The problem is with those who have used (are using) their freedom for doing evil on purpose. That is why it is not easy to fight continuously with what Satan has done to this world (carnivores, parasites, viruses, bad bacteria... the so called _"weeds"_ in Matthew 13:24-43) and to ourselves ... because *until our physical death we fight with the works of the fallen angels and of their tools, the evil=stupid people, the consequences of evilness = stupidity.*

He does. Atheism is dead. Pip pip carry on. Better things to do then rehash the known.

I would have thought the fine-tuning argument is sufficient to explain the existence of God. The alternative multi-verse idea is just a desperate atheistic attempt to counteract the obvious consequence of the fine-tuning argument.

the first guy sounds like he's calling the people who don't believe simple just because they don't believe but the truth is they without the belief are the reactors to hands who say though exists. idk why I decided to speak like that.

Simplest argument for God's existence. 1.DNA contains coded information. 2.Coded information is observed that is created by conscious entities. Likely conclusion: DNA was created by a conscious entity U can make the same argument with Simulation Theory for quantum mechanics.

How miserable today's philosophers look like 😐

I wonder if Mr Millican would be happy in a world where he didn't get to voice his opinion that he would just be an automoton without any ability to act freely and with agency. It seems that is the world that attracts the most ardent atheist which loves to tell God what the world should be like.

Some people seek knowledge to disagree with one another, not to find solutions to the problems. Unfortunate.

Science is a new religion which is about "here and now" - but unfortunately many of the believers don't admit this.

I've just listened to the first sentence from Richard Swinburne explaining why he thinks there's a God, being, it's the simplest hypothesis to explain the universe and all it's features. Straight away i'm thinking, really? That doesn't follow at all that just because it's the simplest it's the correct explanation. I will listen to the rest.

As I write the autobiography of God, I find that no arguments on either side resonate.

Mans search for ultimate truth continues

Are we still discussing this??

God doesn't exist to those who DONT believe. And does exist to those who HAVE faith. Either belief doesn't counter prove the other wrong. To believe or not to believe?? It's your choice

Beautiful debate, I'm agnostic btw

God exists end of debate...

... The best name for God is the mystery and the energy. Forget all that Christian stuff.

The existence have not been proven in any way, so how can you "debate" it. As far as we know, no gods exist.

Where is Alex!?

Highly doubtful.

Where is Richard Dawkins? "Give me an evidence God exists!"