Conclusions Regarding Existential Natural Theology

Abstract

“Conclusions Regarding Existential Natural Theology” Having isolated the shortcomings of the arguments of natural theology in previous chapters, Lorkowski considers what such failures imply for the theist. Though the success of cosmological and design arguments hinge upon large, generally unargued assumptions regarding the limits of scientific explanation, the author defends theists from charges of confirmation bias and post hoc justification by bundling these assumptions with a propensity toward theism as products of a larger worldview. As such, defense of these arguments is only problematic if such a worldview cannot or should not be motivated. Lorkowski argues that, even though these arguments fail as conversion pieces, they may still be valuable for both the theist and the atheist by drawing out the most defensible versions of theism.