Preparation for Quiz #5

Quiz #5 will be held Friday, 3/12

It will cover:
Sire, Chapters 2-6, 9
Handouts:
“Worldview Chart”
“Deism and Naturalism”
Nihilism and Existentialism
“Postmodernism”
“Theism, Modernism, Postmodernism”

You should be able to:

A. define the following concepts:

• phenomena


• noumena


• Deism


• Naturalism


• Nihilism


• Theistic Existentialism


• Atheistic Existentialism


• Nihilism

B. Answer the following questions:

• Compare and contrast Christian Theism and Naturalism. How can a Christian argue against Naturalism, besides appealing to special revelation (the Bible)?


• How does Kant’s distinction between noumena and phenomena pave the way for these two worldviews: Naturalism and Existentialism? Discuss.


• What are the Nihilist’s criticisms of Naturalism? (Discuss the epistemological, metaphysical and moral inconsistencies)


• What are the ways Existentialism fails as a worldview? Discuss in detail.


• Compare and contrast theistic and atheistic existentialism.


• How is theistic existentialism different from Christian theism? How is it alike?


• What are some characteristics of postmodernism, according to philosophers (as opposed to theologians and literary critics?)


• How would you contrast "modernism" and "postmodernism?"


• How would you contrast "premodernism" and "postmodernism."


• If you couldn't be a Theist, which worldview would you embrace? Why?


• Besides Postmodernism, which of these worldviews do you think most people in the U.S. hold: Deism, Naturalism, Nihilism, Existentialism? Explain in detail.