The Rational, Irrational Argument for the Existence of God (2024)

Undergraduate: Carter Schroppe

Faculty Advisor: Pedro Lopes de Almeida
Department: Comparative Literature

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The existence of God and the purpose of religion are two heavily debated topics in philosophy; religion provides me with meaning, rather than truth. I reason that it can often be rational to be irrational, which lends credence to the idea that a belief in a higher power is justified. Personal, subjective experience and the experiential knowledge that stems from it are more important than an objective perspective. Religion manifests itself in myriad ways. The atheist perspective is thoroughly understandable, but it fails to grasp the power of art and struggles to explain certain phenomena. It’s impossible to apply logic or reason to the way you feel about something, so it’s entirely rational to give in to the chaotic nature of the universe. This logical line of reasoning- when combined with thoughts from various texts- yields the realization that although it is impossible to philosophically prove God’s existence, believing in Him is justified.

Link to Abstract