Religious Studies

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Religious Studies

I. Chapter 4

In the section, four of his book The Universe Next Door James W. Sire seeks to

demystify the theory of Naturalism (Sire, 2009). According to this theory, Sire postulates that

Universes exits in a physical state and all that exists in it matter, there is no soul or afterlife based

on Naturalism. Further, the theory maintains that no superior power dominates over the universe;

human beings are only subjects to themselves. It is imperative to note that purpose in life

exclusively develops where superior authority motivates or propels human beings towards it,

seeing there is no higher authority based on naturalism, the theory then holds that life has no

measurable purpose.

Naturalism view human values as products of human interaction and acculturation

through evolution besides it is a system of agreed upon virtues by a people defined to restrict

their actions. Ethics is an authority by itself, which the theory detests as a consequence personal

choice, are the only rules that govern human beings. Naturalism has grown and led to the birth of

Marxism, an economical and sociological view that explains the conflict between the rich rulers

and the common subjects. Deriving its principles from naturalism, Marxism holds that the

solution to the conflict is the equality.

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II. Chapter 5

James W. Sire in section five furthers builds on the theory of naturalism and explains the

philosophy of nihilism. Nihilism is a non-Christian belief because God does not exist and thus

life is meaningless. Nihilism is also a non-philosophical belief that denies the existence of truth

and knowledge it is based on an attitude of indifference that postulates everything just exists with

o real meaning. Besides nihilism according to Sire does not question the existence of things

including the acquired knowledge, i.e., Nihilists do not examine the source of their knowledge.

Sire, however, points out philosophical gaps that prove that Nihilism cannot be viable.

Firstly, he points out Nihilists view that life has no purpose or real meaning. However, human

beings have free will and choice which they pursue, it then follows that when human beings are

working on a choice or activity, they are seeking a goal which is a purpose. Similarly, Sire

observes that Nihilists uses art as a way of expressing themselves; however, the art has a

structure and meaning that is used to identify with Nihilism, it, therefore, follows that art cannot

be Nihilism. Sire that believing in Nihilism could culminate in culminates in insanity or suicide.

Nihilism believers lack fulfillment in life as they deny the existence of God who has given them

everything they possess physically and philosophically. Nihilism therefore

III. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of Sire’s The Universe Next Door demystifies the theory of existentialism.

Existentialism includes the view of the world in a rational full-fledged manner and can be

explained based on its two forms atheistic existentialism and theistic existentialism. Atheistic

existentialism seeks to find value in an irrelevant/ meaningless world (Dauntingbooks, 2009).

Atheistic existentialism builds on the theory of nihilism by stating the universe is insignificant,

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human beings have the free will to make it as they wish it to be and by this fact, they are superior

since they can exert influence over matter. Atheist existentialism according to sire maintains that

an authentic world is one who lives under the reality that the world has no value and the only

value it gets is one that human beings assigns to it at a personal level.

Theistic existentialism, on the other hand, differs with the atheistic existentialism by the

fact that God exists despite the existence of absurdities that human beings can find no

explanation. Consequently, theistic existentialism holds that truth is not absolute but subjective

for this reason, while they derive moral examples from the bible, they remain skeptical about its

facts.

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References

Dauntingbooks. (2009). The Universe Next Door. Retrieved March 9th, 2018, from

Dauntingbooks: https://dauntingbooks.wordpress.com/category/the-books/the-universe-

next-door/

Sire, J. W. (2009). The Universe Next Door(fifth edition). InterVarsity Press: USA.

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