Review of Plantinga’s Where the Conflict Really Lies (Part Two)

This discussion is the second and concluding article reviewing the book by Alvin Plantinga, Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism.1 A brief evaluation of what his book offers to the overall discussion of science and religion will follow. His primary theme, which he mentions several times throughout, is there is superficial conflict, but deep concord, between science and religion, and superficial concord, but deep conflict, between science and naturalism. Consequently, according to Plantinga the real source of the disagreement is between religion and naturalism. To be clear, Plantinga’s point is the atheism of Dawkins, Dennett, and others with their trash talk about theism makes the mistake that must be addressed. It is not that science is opposed to theism, so much as is naturalism. Plantinga argues these “super atheists” have taken science and have tried to argue it supports naturalism, when, in fact, it does not.

PART III

Jim Laws, Sufficient Evidence, Vol. 5 No. 1Lyn MillerMarch 5, 2021Vol. 05 No. 1 Comment

A Review of Plantinga's Where the Conflict Really Lies (Part One)

The assignment for this article is to examine the argument made by Alvin Plantinga regarding where the disagreement really lies in the overall discussion on the question of God and God’s existence with science and naturalism. Plantinga, a theist, wants to clarify where the real controversy is, from the perceived controversy. Reading through his treatment, he discusses the possible conflicts that may or may not exist between science and religion. This review, the first of two installments, considers Plantinga’s position and offers an evaluation.

Certain Preliminary Matters and His Main Theses
Plantinga considers the real source of the problem to be between theism and naturalism.1 However, before serious consideration can be given, one must understand what Plantinga means by theism, science, and naturalism.

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