God: Nature, Attributes and Arguments for Existence

What this unit covers

The unit brings together revision material on the nature of God, the attributes of God and the classic arguments for existence. The listed resources mention A-level Religious Studies, A-level Philosophy and GCSE Religious Studies, so most of it suits secondary courses. Mind maps make up the bulk, backed by flashcards, a few quizzes, slide sets and notes.

Where to start

Begin with the arguments one at a time. For the ontological argument, open the mind map The Ontological Argument, which sets out Anselm's definition of God as that which nothing greater can be conceived. Then read Strengths and Weaknesses of the Ontological Argument, which looks at why it is deductive, analytic and a priori.

Next, move to the cosmological argument. The flowchart Cosmological argument explains that it is a posteriori and leads into Aquinas' Three Ways, including the Prime Mover. The mind map Cosmological Argument follows the First Way: things move from potential to actual, and nothing can be both at once.

Design and morality

• The notes The design argument give an overview: the universe shows signs of design, which suggests a designer.
• The mind map Aquinas' Design Argument explains why it is inductive and based on probability.
• The mind map Hume's Challenges to the Teleological Argument helps you weigh up criticism.
• The notes The Argument from Morality and the flashcards The Moral argument cover C.S. Lewis and Kant.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then test yourself. The quiz The Design Argument is a fill-in-the-blank check on Paley and a posteriori reasoning. Anything you miss, go back to the matching map, then turn the gaps into flashcards. There are also flashcard decks on omnipotence, omniscience and God's simplicity for the attributes side of the unit.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Philosophy of Religion strand of Philosophy. Teachers can use the maps as a starting point for lessons or essay planning, such as the mind map on definitions of God. Choose one argument today and see what you can add yourself.