Knowledge and Certainty
It's still a blimp
Occasionally updated and edited.
Copyright © 2009
Does Knowledge Require Certainty?
Years ago a crowd of neighbors stood in the street staring into the sky. It was twilight and blue sky was yielding to darkness as the sun dipped below the horizon. Direct above was a peculiar flashing light. It was obviously not a star, nor was it airplane. The object appeared to be stationary but made no sound, at least none we could hear, and was, therefore, not a helicopter.
One neighbor lady looked at me and declared, "Is that a UFO or is that a UFO?"
The other neighbors agreed. We were staring at a genuine unidentified flying object. Aliens, possibly, had chosen our little neighborhood on the south side of Indianapolis on a warm evening in May to make their presence known to the world.
May in Indianapolis, some know, is preoccupied with the infamous Indy 500. The time trials dominate the news as well as the thoughts of many residents. Attracted to the excitement are hordes of race fans from out of state. And where there are large numbers of people there are advertisers. Among those companies seeking to woo race fans to buy their products is Goodyear. Every year, as long as I remember, the Goodyear blimp has been a centerpiece of the pre-race activities.
And so when my neighbor asked, "Is that a UFO or is that a UFO?" I simply answered, "That's the Goodyear blimp."
The neighbors -- perhaps a bit disappointed not to be the chosen ones to greet aliens from a far-away solar system -- quickly dispersed.
Religionists are akin to neighbors concluding that stationary flashing lights high above must be a UFO. Why? Because there is no better explanation. It is that trap of logic into which Christian apologists, including Dr. Craig, find themselves.
The cause of a given phenomenon is not established in lieu of a better explanation. Dr. Craig, however, seems to think otherwise. He writes, "There are two ways to defeat such an inference to the best explanation: (i) provide an equally good explanation that does not involve the existence of a personal Creator; or (ii) provide overriding reasons to think that a personal Creator does not exist."
In other words, belief in a personal Creator is justified because no other explanation is forthcoming.
The truth is: The UFO did not become the Goodyear blimp. It had always been a blimp and had never been an alien spacecraft. The truth is: No unembodied intelligent being created the universe. The absence (or, more accurately, the refusal to acknowledge) a natural explanation does not change that fact.
Christian apologists who insist that the absence of alternative explanations somehow validates their own speculations are like neighbors agreeing that a blimp is a UFO.
2010
