Anthony Flew Back
Posted by PunchTheBag on 13 December 2004 | 20 responses
Anthony Flew says he’s still an atheist (via ALDaily).
20 Responses to “Anthony Flew Back”
Antony Flew leaves atheism–Update
Update: In the Agora is calling into question whether Flew really changed his mind. According to yesterday’s bulletin of Rationalist International Flew still believes in a closed universe.
The Rationalist quotes a statement that Flew made a year a…
Although the basis for saying he’s still an atheist is from a 2003 article, his last “official position” according to that website. But most of the news reports about a departure from atheism are based on a new edition of his “God and Philosophy,” scheduled for release next year by Prometheus Press. According to this new book and correspondence with students, Flew accepts only a “minimal God” and believes in no afterlife.
Yes, this update is problematic, isn’t it? But it does make it quite clear that Flew is not theistic in any but the weakest possible sense–that, in other words, he has returned to the Aristotelian realm of the first mover, not the anthropomorphic (or even anthropophilic) God of the Abrahamic tradition.
Do you guys even read your own stuff? There’s already a 28-response thread (posted by Claybourn) on this very issue halfway down this page.
greg
He knows that Gregory. This post was a response to that.
Greg, chill out. Not only did I know about Josh’s post, I participated in the comments thread there (until the discussion shifted to metaphysics; words like “ontology” affect me like garlic affects vampires). But, you see, Josh linked to a site saying Flew wasn’t an atheist, and I’m linking to one disputing that. It’s like a conversation!
Mea Culpa. I hate the “blog format.”
greg
Aren’t questions about the existence of God inherently metaphysical and ontological? That’s why such discussions are quite useless. No one will ever agree because no statement in such a discussion can be falsifiable – except when Christians start billowing about how the Grand Canyon was created during Noah’s flood and how the universe was created in seven days ten thousand years ago. Those statements are falsifiable, and they have been falsified.
My point is, knocking over the straw man of traditional revealed religion is an easy matter. However, the deep questions raised by the great theories of physics and cosmology are interesting and worth pursuing not in the name of finding an answer, but because the exercise itself reveals the limits of scientific inquiry and human knowledge.
You do know that the statement you linked to is from 2001 right?
The great thing about this quote from Anthony Flew is that he acknowledges that, based on current scientific evidence and theories, a belief in the Judeo-Christian God is not unwarranted. I find the same sentiment from the writings of Martin Rees in his “Just Six Numbers” book. Compare this to the stridency of the positions of the American Humanist Association publications e.g. The Humanist Manifestos and “The Humanist” magazine. For many Secular Humanists a belief in God is a danger to be fought.
This suggests the following continuum of thinking on this subject: Secular Fundamentalism–Negative Atheism (to use Flew’s term)–Inteligent Design–Old Earth Creationism–Young Earth Creationism–Christian Fundamentalism. The left and right extremes offer little in the way of dialog. The main difference between Intelligent Design and Old Earth Creationism is that OEC identifies the Creator as the Judeo-Christian God whereas ID leaves the matter completely open as to who are what the designer might be.
I am personally pleased to see the opportunites for dialog open. The ABC news article seems to indicate that Anthony Flew has actually shifted more towards ID, but perhaps we need to await the publication of the book to see.
My point is, knocking over the straw man of traditional revealed religion is an easy matter.
Don’t get too triumphalist there, Chuck. All you’ve “knocked over” when you talk about the Grand Canyon or the time frame of creation are particular *interpretations* of the Bible. And in fact, I’d say the literal 7-day creation week is a relatively recent piece of dogma.
Antony Flew and Abiogenesis
British athiest philosopher Antony Flew isn’t anymore. This story has been flying around the blogosphere a lot lately. Here is my take on the results and the reasons for his “conversion”…
I won’t hold my breath for his book. Belief in God is a pretty simple thing, and I find odd those who can’t humble themselves to the idea.
Belief in God is a pretty simple thing,
I feel the same way about people who don’t believe there’s a 400-foot sand-colored bunny rabbit that lives underneath Baghdad.
It’s truly odd how many people aren’t willing to accept His Bunnyness.
greg
In the spirit of whimsy, I do have to note that sometimes I believe in seven impossible things before breakfast.
Then find me odd.
I think it is amusing that ‘atheist conversts’ is trumpeted so loudly. If he does or doesn’t believe it doesn’t matter. A majority doesn’t mean one side is right and the other side is wrong.
Seriously, prove to me god exists and I will be more than happy to believe. Yes, I know the bible says that we have to take that on faith, but that is kind of convienent isn’t it.
I had the privilege of doing some readings in philosophy of religion with Anthony Flew in the mid-1980’s. During that time, we talked about Thaxton’s proto-intelligent design arguments based on the problems associated with abiogenesis. Professor Flew expressed essentially the same thing then that he did recently. I recall him stating that the perhaps the most remarkable thing about Genesis was how nearly the ancient author(s) got it right… Still he felt we were far from constructing an adequate scientific explanation for the origin of life and he understood why theists would find consolation from some aspects of the problem of origins. This does not mean at any point he was denying evolution or expressing a ‘positive faith’. I don’t see his current positions as reflecting any new positions.
It does not surprise me that Rationalist International would quote somthing from Mr Flew in an effort to cover the truth.Flew has been talking for some time in a personal way with Gerald Schroder who has a lot to say about Intellegent Design and has written many books to refute athiestic thought.
Why men choose not to believe in a God or Source is clear to me.It is the simple truth that they choose not to look at facts with a open mind and are very fearful of any rational conversation on the subect.If thinkers,seekers,scientist,and theologians would come together and share Truth and not bias God would just ….show up.To believe in a creator God no matter how minimal the view,is a good start in the Right Direction.
I can list literally hundreds of philosophers,theologians,and scientist who believe in Intelligent Design and they are just as valid as all the rest.(The ones who believe in nothing).
Nothing or Somthing ,the answer is clear to me…the most absurd,irrational,men,who despise the thought of God every day prove once again his existence.
People dont want to believe there is a creator that made heaven and earth because we have to do what he says.
They dont want to believe there was a flood. If there was then This God has Got the power to judge his creation.
They dont want to admit a time will come of which the creator will come and judge all His creations.
The points is whether you believe it or not a time will come God will come and judge all men and we all have to get ready for that day.
I cant understand why people are agueing about Anthony Flew believing in God or not. It does not matter.
The facts are that
1) All scientific evidence available prove the existence of A CREATOR of which the bible is talking about.
2) There has never been a scientific evidence against the bible events.
3) Medical and psychological evidence has proven that everything the bible wants us to abstain from are humfull to the human body.
The most important thing is God is coming and man needs to change and repent from their wicked ways and accept Jesus christ into their life and lets stop debating about Anthony Flew. He is not a “god” he is just a person like you and me.
GOD LOVES YOU AND HAS A GOOD PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
HE DOES NOT WANT YOU TO PERISH AND WANT YOU TO COME TO HIM.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ADVANCING YOU BETTER HURRY AND BE PART OF IT.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!