(Published in Faith and Philosophy 2011. Volume 28, Issue 2, April 2011. Stephen Law. Pages 129-151) EVIDENCE, MIRACLES AND THE EXISTENCE OF JESUS Stephen Law Abstract The vast majority of Biblical historians believe there is evidence sufficient to place Jesus’ existence beyond reasonable doubt. Many believe the New Testament documents alone suffice firmly to establish Jesus as an actual, historical figure. I question these views. In particular, I argue (i) that the three most popular criteria by which various non-miraculous New Testament claims made about Jesus are supposedly corroborated are not sufficient, either singly or jointly, to place his existence beyond reasonable doubt, and (ii) that a prima facie plausible principle concerning how evidence should be assessed – a principle I call the contamination principle – entails that, given the large proportion of uncorroborated miracle claims made about Jesus in the New Testament documents, we should, in the absence of indepen
Stephen Law is a philosopher and author. Currently Director of Philosophy and Cert HE at Oxford University Department of Continuing Education. Stephen has also published many popular books including The Philosophy Gym, The Complete Philosophy Files, and Believing Bullshit. For school talks/ media: stephenlaw4schools.blogspot.co.uk Email: think-AT-royalinstitutephilosophy.org
Comments
Is there any such thing as agenda-less communication? All communication is dsigned to attract attention, to persuade, to influence, or [too frequently] to coerce.
Identifying agendas, open or covert, is surely the essence of effective communication. There is nothing sinister about having an agenda, so long as you don't dissemble about its purpose and try to pass it off as something else [as Creationists do when attempting to get their beliefs taught as science].
Regards, Paul.
Too many people are oblivious to the agenda that creationists and ID pushers have in science, particularly here in the states. Terms like "academic freedom," sound really good if you don't dig deeper into the aforementioned agenda.
It was in the magazine, so I wonder it the back issue is going to be halted too.,,
But since they did publish, and have now withdrawn - I wonder what the legally objectionable part was??