Questions tagged [miracles]
A miracle is an event attributed to a supernatural agent even if there is a naturalistic explanation for the event.
18
questions
1
vote
6answers
376 views
Is there anything a supernatural entity (e.g. God) could do to irrefutably prove its existence to humans? [closed]
I just posted a question in which I ask if spontaneously regrowing amputated limbs would constitute a proof of the supernatural, and several of the answers have presented interesting objections. This ...
11
votes
8answers
5k views
Is watching an amputated limb regrow proof of the supernatural?
A typical challenge skeptics present when confronted with claims of alleged miracles is "why won't God Heal amputees?". But, would that do the job? Consider the following thought experiment: ...
1
vote
1answer
167 views
Does Bayes' Theorem justify rejecting an argument for the supernatural from a well-supported miracle?
Suppose you have really good evidence for a miracle. Let's say that given the evidence, the probability of the miracle having occurred is about 80%.
Now, you also know that miracles can only occur if ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
The anatomy of miracles [duplicate]
I myself think miracles are phenomena that cannot be explained by extant accepted theories.
Now, science and scientific method claims to reject miracles and propose a reason and logic for every ...
3
votes
3answers
223 views
Why do we need repetitive demonstration to accept miracles happening?
From the highest upvoted answer on Is any aspect of the supernatural testable? What level of proof is possible for the supernatural?:
However, you are probably wasting your time on the various ...
0
votes
2answers
86 views
Bayes and unknown probabilites: is this reasoning from the failure of explanation a fallacy?
Bayesian probability is an interpretation of the concept of
probability, in which, instead of frequency or propensity of some
phenomenon, probability is interpreted as reasonable expectation
...
2
votes
2answers
279 views
What was Spinoza's take on miracles: what are they are why think they do occur?
What was Spinoza's take on miracles: what are they are why think they do occur? I'm asking because I want to find out and this could, conceivably, be the easiest way. I've read a chapter or two of ...
2
votes
9answers
3k views
Is getting 100 Heads in a row from a fair coin a miracle or not?
Suppose a man continues to toss a coin until he gets 100 heads in a row. Suppose the outcomes of all tosses from the 9999901th toss to the 10 millionth toss are all heads and 100 heads in a row didn't ...
3
votes
3answers
270 views
Is the idea of the word of God a means to understand human nature, and prayer?
The idea may sound stupidly ridiculous, but I wonder, can the word of God (Christ?) be read as an allegory on how it is that prayer works. If you see John 1:1-3 it says:
In the beginning was the ...
4
votes
1answer
218 views
What is the point of prayer for theological rationalists?
Of course, there are psychological aspects, you can unify a community or concentrate on your life goals. I feel like Christians try to do something like that when they say that prayer should be a ...
4
votes
2answers
327 views
Does Alvin Plantinga's solution to the problem of divine action entail a total denial of the applicability of Newtonian physics to the world?
Alvin Plantinga offers at least two major solutions to the problem of divine action; that physical laws of the Newtonian sort are (often implicitly) qualified to apply only to causally closed systems, ...
1
vote
3answers
105 views
Why cannot reports of a miracle overpower all our experience and laws of nature?
A novice, I do not feel prepared yet to, but shall in future, read Hume; please tell me if Hume's originals answer my question.
Source: pp 30-31, Philosophy ; A Very Short Introduction (2002) by ...
1
vote
7answers
962 views
Are there any proofs that miracles are impossible? [duplicate]
Are there any logical proofs that miracles are impossible?
In this case I define a miracle as an interference with nature by a supernatural power.
[Edit: Possibly due to confusion about the ...
1
vote
5answers
227 views
How does the success of science offer an objection to religious miracles?
I see today many newspaper columnists etc. say that atheism is a faith as much as any religious one. But surely (I say to myself) the success of science makes any religious claim about a supposed ...
7
votes
1answer
181 views
Are miracles compatible with our belief in empirical predictions?
I read the SEP entry on miracles a while ago and plan to take a shot at Hume's Of Miracles soon.
Before I get started - I cannot understand how miracles even make sense. Here's my thinking so far:
...
8
votes
4answers
357 views
What is a miracle, and why should it influence our metaphysical beliefs?
There's a question on this site regarding what a rational person should accept as a miracle, but the question and its answers seem to take the definition and categorization (as well as consequence) of ...
35
votes
13answers
3k views
What should a rational person accept as a miracle?
I was reading through this collection of short essays from theologians, scientists and thinkers each responding to the question "Does the Universe have a purpose?" which was suggested to me in a ...
4
votes
2answers
5k views
God's paradoxes and their implications [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is the definition of God consistent?
As many of you, I've come across a few paradoxes of all sorts, from logic to math, linguistics and so forth. Some of such involve God or, ...
