The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig

Introduction

The moderator introduces the event and the speakers, and explains the format of the debate.

Event Details

• The God Debate is sponsored by various departments at Notre Dame.

• The purpose of the debate is to bring cutting-edge research in Christian philosophy to a wider audience.

• William Lane Craig and Sam Harris are debating whether supernaturalism or naturalism provides a better foundation for objective morality.

• Each debater will have 20 minutes for rebuttals, 12 minutes for cross-examination, and 5 minutes for speeches.

Acknowledgments

The moderator thanks various departments and individuals who helped organize the event.

Acknowledgments

• The College of Arts and Letters, campus ministry, classics department, liberal studies department, chemistry department, German and Russian department, Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement, Glenn Family Classroom all contributed to organizing this event.

Opening Remarks

William Lane Craig begins his opening remarks by arguing that objective moral values require a foundation in God's commands.

Objective Moral Values Require God's Commands

• If objective moral values exist, they must be grounded in something beyond human opinion.

• On naturalism (the view that only natural phenomena exist), there is no basis for objective moral values.

• On supernaturalism (the view that there are non-natural entities such as God), objective moral values can be grounded in God's commands.

• Therefore, if objective moral values exist, they require a foundation in God's commands.

Opening Remarks Continued

Sam Harris begins his opening remarks by agreeing with Craig that there are objective moral truths but disagrees about their foundation.

Objective Moral Truths Exist But Don't Require God's Commands

• There are objective moral truths that exist independently of human opinion.

• These truths can be discovered through reason and empirical evidence.

• The foundation for objective morality is not God's commands, but rather the well-being of conscious creatures.

• Therefore, objective moral truths do not require a foundation in God's commands.

Debate Begins

The moderator officially begins the debate and each speaker has 20 minutes to present their arguments.

Debate Begins

• The moderator officially starts the debate after checking with the timekeeper.

• William Lane Craig argues that objective moral values require a foundation in God's commands.

• Sam Harris agrees that there are objective moral truths but disagrees about their foundation.

Objective Moral Values and Duties

The speaker argues that without God, there is no sound foundation for objective moral values and duties. On atheism, human beings are just accidental byproducts of nature with no reason to think that human well-being is objectively good.

Atheistic View of Human Beings

• On the atheistic view, human beings are just accidental byproducts of nature which have evolved relatively recently on an infinitesimal speck of dust called the planet Earth.

• Naturalistic view holds that moral values are just the behavioral byproducts of biological evolution and social conditioning.

• Sociobiological pressures have evolved among Homo sapiens a sort of herd morality which functions well in the perpetuation of our species but on the atheistic view there doesn't seem to be anything that makes this morality objectively binding and true.

Sam Harris' Solution to Value Problem

• Sam Harris proposes to redefine what he means by good and evil in non-moral terms.

• He says we should define good as that which supports the well-being of conscious creatures so questions about values are really questions about the well-being of conscious creatures.

• Dr. Harris's failed to solve the value problem he hasn't provided any justification or explanation for why on atheism moral values would objectively exist at all his so-called solution is just a semantical trick.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker introduces the topic of morality and religion.

Morality and Religion

• The speaker argues that belief in God is not necessary for a universal morality.

• The erosion of basic common sense is a problem that many religious people are worried about.

• Science can help us get what we value but it cannot tell us what we ought to value.

• Our notions of right and wrong have been drummed into us by evolution and then modulated by culture.

Controversy at a Scientific Meeting

In this section, the speaker recounts an encounter with another invited speaker at a scientific meeting.

Debate on Women's Rights

• The speaker fell into debate with another invited speaker after denigrating the Taliban at a scientific meeting.

• The other speaker argued that forcing women to wear burqas is not necessarily wrong from the point of view of science.

• The speaker used an extreme example to argue that forcing half the population to live in cloth bags and beating them or killing them when they try to get out is not maximizing human wellbeing.

• The other speaker claimed that whether something is wrong depends on why it is being done.

Double Standard

• The other speaker was appointed to advise President Obama on ethical implications of advances in medicine and technology but seemed detached from real suffering in Afghanistan.

• The speaker sees this double standard as a problem.

Science and Morality

In this section, the speaker discusses the relationship between science and morality.

Values and Facts

• Science can never tell us what we ought to value.

• There are facts and values in the universe, but many people believe that science cannot touch values.

• Our notions of right and wrong come from evolution and culture.

Religious Perspective

• Religious people like Dr. Craig insert God into the clockwork as an invisible arbiter of moral truth.

• Many religious people see no alternative but to insert the God of Abraham into the clockwork as an invisible arbiter of moral truth.

The Relationship Between Science and Values

In this section, Sam Harris discusses the relationship between science and values. He argues that science has always been in the values business and that we cannot speak of facts without resorting to values.

Science and Values

• Harris argues that things can be right or wrong, good or evil, quite independent of a person's opinions.

• He suggests that the distinction between a healthy person and a dead one is about as clear and inconsequential as any we ever make in science.

• Harris claims that talking about morality and human values is really talking about mental health and the health of societies.

• He argues that when we say science can't be applied to the most important questions in human life, we're saying that when our biases are out of the way, those efforts have no application whatsoever.

Defending Objective Moral Values

In this section, Professor Craig defends his contention that if God exists, then there is a sound foundation for objective moral values.

Objective Moral Values

• Craig explains that if God exists, then objective moral values are grounded in the character of God himself who is essentially compassionate, fair, kind, generous etc.

• He clarifies that he is not making any kind of semantical claim tonight; rather his concern is moral ontology - what is the ground or foundation of moral values and duties?

• Craig uses an illustration to explain how people can know the meaning of moral terms like good and evil without being aware that the good is grounded in God.

The Foundation of Objective Moral Values and Duties

Dr. Craig argues that objective moral values and duties cannot be grounded in atheism, as there is no authority to issue moral commands or prohibitions.

The Problem with Atheism

• In the absence of God, there is no basis for objective moral values and duties.

• Without freedom of the will, there can be no moral responsibility.

• Atheism lacks the ontological foundations to establish the moral life.

Critique of Christianity's Moral Framework

Dr. Harris critiques Christianity's framework by questioning how a loving God could allow so much suffering in the world and condemning the idea that people are condemned to hell based on their beliefs.

The Problem with Hell

• Belief in Christian hell raises questions about a loving God who allows children to suffer and die.

• Most people who believe in God are praying for their children's well-being, but their prayers go unanswered.

• According to Dr. Craig, many people will go to hell because they pray to the wrong god due to cultural isolation.

• There is no evidence for eternal conscious torment in fire as punishment for ignorance of revelation.

The Problem with Salvation

• Serial killers can be saved by accepting Jesus on death row while good people who were born into different cultures are doomed.

The Problem of Evil

In this section, Sam Harris discusses the problem of evil and how it challenges the idea of a loving and just God.

God's Cruelty and Injustice

• Harris argues that the existence of suffering on innocent people contradicts the idea of a loving and just God.

• He criticizes the notion that God is mysterious when confronted with such evidence, calling it "tennis without the net."

• Harris claims that faith in a God who allows such suffering is morally reprehensible.

Divine Command Theory

• Harris critiques Dr. Craig's divine command theory, which states that whatever God commands is good.

• He argues that this attitude is psychopathic and psychotic because it detaches from human well-being.

• Harris points out that this theory cannot condemn religious extremists who commit atrocities in the name of their faith.

Christianity as a Cult of Human Sacrifice

• Harris asserts that Christianity celebrates human sacrifice rather than repudiating it.

• He notes that many societies throughout history have engaged in child sacrifice to appease imaginary gods, highlighting the Bible's origins in such barbarism.

Introduction

In this section, the moderator introduces the topic of the debate and gives each speaker eight minutes to present their opening statements.

Opening Statements

• The moderator introduces the topic of the debate.

• Dr. Craig presents his first contention that if God exists, objective moral values exist independently of human opinion.

• Dr. Craig argues that objective moral duties arise in response to the moral imperatives that God issues to us.

• Dr. Harris presents his argument that science can provide a good foundation for objective moral values and duties.

• The moderator announces that Dr. Harris has eight minutes to present his opening statement.

Rebuttal 1

In this section, both speakers respond to each other's opening statements.

Response from Dr. Harris

• Dr. Harris accuses Dr. Craig of summarizing his points in a way that they were not actually given.

• Dr. Harris argues that defining God as intrinsically good is merely a semantic move and there could be an evil God or several gods.

• He presents a positive case for grounding an objective morality in science by assuming certain core values such as avoiding worst possible misery for everyone.

• He argues against Dr. Craig's claim about scientific objectivity and reductionism by stating there are subjective facts about what it's like to be you which can be studied objectively by science.

Response from Dr. Craig

• No specific rebuttal points provided in this section.

Rebuttal 2

In this section, both speakers continue to respond to each other's arguments.

Response from Dr. Craig

• Dr. Craig argues that objective moral values and duties cannot be grounded in science because science relies on certain axiomatic assumptions and core values.

• He responds to Dr. Harris' argument about scientific objectivity by stating that there are two different senses of subjective and objective terms.

• He argues that science does not require ignoring the fact that certain facts are subjective ontologically subjective.

• He states that the foundation of science is reasoning or thinking objectively which involves seeing through our biases, avoiding work, and being open to counterarguments.

Response from Dr. Harris

• Dr. Harris accuses Dr. Craig of being confused about what it means to speak with scientific objectivity about the human condition.

• He argues that there are first-person facts about what it's like to be you which can be studied by science and reveal how much deeper and richer our lives are than those of cockroaches.

• He presents his argument again for grounding an objective morality in science by stating that we can speak objectively about a certain class of subjective facts related to good and evil which depend upon the well-being of just creatures especially our own.

Conclusion

In this section, both speakers present their concluding remarks.

Concluding Remarks

• No specific points provided in this section.

The Moral Landscape Debate

In this debate, Sam Harris and William Lane Craig discuss the nature of morality and whether it can be grounded in science or religion.

Introduction

• Sam Harris introduces the topic of the debate: whether morality can be grounded in science.

• William Lane Craig argues that morality must be grounded in God's commands.

Can Morality Be Grounded in Science?

• Sam Harris argues that science can determine what is morally right and wrong by examining the well-being of conscious creatures.

• William Lane Craig argues that objective moral values cannot be derived from scientific facts alone.

Is God Necessary for Morality?

• William Lane Craig argues that without God, there is no basis for objective moral values.

• Sam Harris counters that belief in God does not provide a coherent basis for morality.

The Problem of Evil

• William Lane Craig argues that the problem of evil is not a logical contradiction with the existence of God.

• Sam Harris counters that the problem of evil presents a serious challenge to belief in an all-powerful and all-good God.

Q&A Session

• Notre Dame students ask questions about free will, objective morality, and religious experience.

• Audience members ask questions about divine command theory, moral relativism, and the relationship between science and religion.

Conclusion

• The debate concludes with closing statements from both speakers.

Microphones on the Balcony

The speaker points out the microphones on the balcony.

Microphones on the Balcony

• The speaker points out the microphones on the balcony.

Defining Good and Bad

A question is asked about defining good and bad, and whether it's possible for a hypothetical God to align with one's definition of morals.

Hypothetical God's Alignment with Moral Theory

• A question is asked about whether it would be possible for a hypothetical God to perfectly align with one's definition of morals.

• The hypothetical God commands that good and bad are dependent on the well-being of conscious animals.

• The speaker questions how a God of love does not promote well-being if love is at the root of our well-being.

Love and Morality

The discussion centers around love, morality, and consciousness.

Love as Core Well-being

• Love is important to our well-being as deeply social creatures.

• Grounding morality in consciousness allows us to talk about how human beings can thrive.

• Self-transcending love is probably at the core of the deepest well-being that we can experience as human beings.

Christ's Commandment to Love Thy Neighbor

Christ's commandment to love thy neighbor is discussed, along with miracles attributed to God.

Loving Thy Neighbor

• Christ's first commandment was to love thy neighbor and thy God.

• If you are a devout Muslim and care about the well-being of all mankind, then you follow through with that commandment.

Miracles Attributed to God

• Miracle stories are difficult to prove and often set in pre-scientific contexts.

• Miracle stories from different religions don't merit an hour on the Discovery Channel.

• The speaker is not closed to evidence of miracles, but it would be trivially easy for God to convince him of his existence or the powers of psychic.

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Christianity, Islam, and Objective Morality

In this section, Sam Harris and William Lane Craig discuss the differences between Christianity and Islam, as well as the basis for objective morality.

Differences Between Christianity and Islam

• New Testament critics acknowledge that Nazareth existed, making it difficult for Harris to be a Muslim.

• Harris believes that Muslims get it wrong about Jesus.

Basis for Objective Morality

• Harris argues that objective morality can be based on the assumption that the worst possible world is bad.

• Craig challenges this argument by suggesting that it may simply be a subjective assertion based on human opinion.

• Harris responds by explaining how every objective paradigm has to make a first move based on some axiomatic judgment that is not self-justifying.

• He also suggests that there are ways in which our logical expectations begin to break down in physics but we use other scientific intuitions to try to get behind them.

• According to Harris, every objective paradigm has to pick itself up by its bootstraps somewhere.

• He argues that the recognition of a spectrum of experience in the universe offers a way to understand what is good or bad objectively. Movement towards sublime experiences is better than movement towards intolerable ones.

Divine Command Theory

• Craig's moral duties are grounded in imperatives issued by God's commandments.

• However, according to Harris, this divine command theory suggests there is no distinction between true moral precepts related to well-being and things merely issued from competent authorities. This is similar to the thinking of psychopaths who cannot distinguish between moral infraction and a mere conventional rule.

• Harris suggests that this way of thinking can destabilize people and make them vulnerable to this kind of worldview.

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The Importance of Sleep

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of sleep and how it affects our physical and mental health.

Why is sleep important?

• Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health.

• Lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

• Sleep helps us consolidate memories and learn new information.

• During sleep, our brain clears out toxins that build up during waking hours.

How much sleep do we need?

• The amount of sleep needed varies by age but most adults need 7-9 hours per night.

• Consistent lack of sleep can lead to chronic sleep deprivation which has serious consequences on our health.

Tips for better sleep

• Stick to a consistent bedtime routine.

• Create a relaxing environment in your bedroom.

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and electronics before bed.

• Exercise regularly but not too close to bedtime.

The Science of Dreams

In this section, the speaker discusses the science behind dreams and what they may reveal about our subconscious mind.

What are dreams?

• Dreams are a series of images, thoughts, and sensations that occur during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

• Everyone dreams but not everyone remembers their dreams.

• Dreams can be influenced by our experiences, emotions, and memories.

What do dreams mean?

• There is no one-size-fits-all answer to what dreams mean.

• Dreams may reveal our subconscious thoughts and desires.

• Some people believe that dreams have symbolic meanings that can be interpreted.

Lucid dreaming

• Lucid dreaming is when you become aware that you are dreaming while still in the dream state.

• With practice, some people can learn to control their dreams and even change the outcome of them.

• Lucid dreaming has been studied for its potential therapeutic benefits.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker summarizes the main points discussed in the video about sleep and dreams.

Key takeaways

• Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health.

• Lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

• Dreams may reveal our subconscious thoughts and desires.

• Lucid dreaming has potential therapeutic benefits.

Overall, this video highlights the importance of getting enough sleep for our physical and mental well-being. It also explores the science behind dreams and how they may provide insight into our subconscious mind. By following tips for better sleep hygiene, we can improve our overall quality of life.