pen1 Essays

This is a list of links to essays that I have from time to time posted on this site. These are all blog posts, but by an “essay” I mean a post that deals with an issue at somewhat greater length, and in a more academic style, than the average.
chess_end-1  Does the universe suggest design, purpose, goodness or concern? A reply to a paragraph from Dawkins. The theme is taken up more fully in a more philosophical discussion, based on a paper of van Inwagen, found here.

Mule_deer_animal_herd  The Eager Gene. On the  nature of genes and biological evolution

2742916836_1946a6e44c_b - thumb  A transparently feeble argument. A reply to another argument (if it merits to be called that) from Dawkins

woods_thumb  Religion and reconnection. What religion is, or can be

DEY_289484k R.S. Thomas: poetry, religion and spirituality in a scientific age. A consideration of the work of the celebrated Welsh poet.

nullscala_archives_1039613504 Faith and Reason. Why reason is not the whole story and faith is correct and indeed unavoidable.

kgimage                                                      humpty-dumpty

Two posts that have more to say about the word, “faith”:

Talking about faith and science                   Humpty Dumpty

 

d-bonhoeffer1 A lesson of scripture in the interests of peace. ISIS, religious violence and holy scripture: how to handle the latter so as to avoid the former.


Philosophy-full-width Philosophical arguments from pain and suffering Presents a paper by Peter van Inwagen on the logical (or illogical) structure of a widely-used argument concerning what pain and suffering implies about the source of the universe.