Metaphysics

An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 09 – God 1 (Theism) – Part 4: Who put this together?

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The teleological argument invites us to consider purpose in the universe. When we see design, we assume a designer. Whether it’s the intricacy of the eye or the precision of the physical constants, the universe seems to behave as if it’s aiming toward something. But does this point to a creator, or just a vast system of function? Philosophy asks: if the universe is designed, then for what? Is it for life, for consciousness, or for something else entirely?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 09 – God 1 (Theism) – Part 3: Which came first – the chicken or the God?

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The cosmological argument begins with an undeniable intuition: everything that begins has a cause. From the origins of the universe to the first domino falling, there must be a first cause – a push that set everything else in motion. This first cause, while not necessarily a personal deity, is where we begin to speak of “God.” The argument doesn’t prove a personality or intention; it simply points to the necessity of something that began the chain. The question is: what does that uncaused cause look like?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 09 – God 1 (Theism) – Part 2: Do you believe in triangles?

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The ontological argument asks us to consider God not through evidence or faith, but through the logic of the definition itself. By defining God as the greatest possible being, the argument asserts that existence must be a necessary quality, because a being that exists only in the mind cannot be the greatest possible being. Philosophy invites us to question not just the existence of such a being, but what qualities make something great in the first place, and who gets to decide.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 09 – God 1 (Theism) – Part 1: Introduction: Where do babies come from?

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existence. Philosophy of religion asks us to pause before the doctrines and definitions, and return to the moment of awe that first gave rise to the word. Before belief, before systems, before certainty, we were simply standing at the edge of understanding, asking: Why is there something instead of nothing?

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 7: Summary: What, me worry?

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The tension between free will and determinism may not be a dichotomy at all. Compatibilism invites us to see both forces as part of the same unfolding process, rather than opposing forces. Instead of fighting for one or the other, we can embrace the truth that we are the dance itself – not separate from the universe, but a dynamic part of it. Philosophy invites us to live fully in that dance, where choice and causality coexist in fluid, unpredictable harmony.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 6: What does God look like?

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Genesis tells us humanity is made in the “image of God,” but what if that image isn’t physical? What if it’s the power to create from nothing, to choose beyond the constraints of cause and effect? Metaphysical libertarianism suggests that the truest form of freedom – the ability to decide, to act outside the law of causality – is the closest we come to expressing divinity. Philosophy invites us to notice those moments when we create, unbidden, and realize that in those flashes, we reflect the image of the Creator.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 5: Are you a flesh-bot?

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If we are merely following a script, then rebellion becomes impossible. Metaphysical libertarianism argues that true freedom is found in the ability to step outside the prescribed pattern, to make choices that defy the “puppet strings.” Even if freedom is imperfect, it’s real when we break the chain and act beyond the limits we’ve known. Philosophy doesn’t promise us perfect choices, but it invites us to make those imperfect, free choices again and again.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 4: Can you touch a thought?

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What if free will isn’t just about choosing between pre-determined options? What if, in rare moments, we make choices that break the chain of cause and effect entirely? In metaphysical libertarianism, these uncaused decisions—like a magician pulling something out of nowhere—offer a glimpse of true freedom, where choice exists outside the expected, outside the pattern, and simply is.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 3: Have you weighed the pros and cons?

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Deliberation creates space between impulse and action. When we pause to weigh reasons, we interrupt habits and open new pathways for choice. Metaphysical libertarianism suggests that freedom may live not only in spontaneity, but in these moments of reflection, where we reconsider what seemed inevitable and allow ourselves to act differently than our past would predict.

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An Introduction to Philosophy (RLL style) Week 08 – Metaphysics 5 (Metaphysical Libertarianism) – Part 2: Have you ever surprised yourself?

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Some choices don’t arrive through deliberation. They appear suddenly, without warning, explanation, or clear cause. Metaphysical libertarianism takes these moments seriously, asking whether spontaneity might be evidence of genuine agency rather than randomness. Philosophy invites us to notice when a decision feels uncaused yet still unmistakably ours, as if freedom slipped in through a side door.

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