Point: Presuppositional Apologetics makes the point that without God there will not be the possibility of knowledge. I would also add without God there would not be the possibility of epistemic virtues being intellgible and meaningful. By epistemic virtue I mean things that involves character and skills a knower possess that is involve with acquiring knowledge. And if there is no such thing as epistemic virtues and epistemic skills then the foundation for education is destroyed.
Picture: Knowledge is justified true belief. I have argued previously from the analogy of Accidental and Stolen Stop Signs and Source of Morals that atheism destroys morality. So there’s no foundation for ethics. I have also argued in Doing Math with Dice and Atheism’s Destruction of Knowledge that atheism destroys the possiblity of knowledge given the sea of chance metaphysically destroys the foundation for knowledge. Thus epistemic virtues and skills in a non-theist worldview are meaningless from these two points.
To further illustrate that epistemic virtues is meaningless in a nontheist worldview I thought this might be insightful. Here’s a video of a game where people are blindfolded and trying to catch a pig:
If facts, the object of knowledge, is represented by the pig, and knowing things is represented as a subject catching the pig, the catching of the pig is more driven by chance than if it was intentional by sight.
I think likewise in a worldview which is driven by skepticism to deny God’s existence, the skeptic is putting on blindfold and earplugs. In philosophy the big question is whether what happens in the mind actually precieve accurately facts out there. So in this dilemma when there’s a fact that happen to be caught in one’s mind, its more of an accident like the pig being caught by someone blind and deaf. Its more of it being by chance than some kind of virtue or skill. Even if there are some skills (hands being put out, etc) it would be minimized than if it was in a worldview where God has intentionally allow people to have mind and reality have the ability to correspond.
POSSIBLE SCENARIO FOR EMPLOYING THIS ILLUSTRATION DURING APOLOGETIC EVANGELISM
NON-CHRISTIAN: Can you explain to me why you keep on thinking an atheistic worldview cannot give the foundation for epistemic virtue?
CHRISTIAN: Let me try. You don’t believe the universe is the result of God creating it right?
NON-CHRISTIAN: No.
CHRISTIAN: So the universe therefore was not purposely created by a Person in your view. That is, the universe’ ultimate explanation is chance, in that it is unguided, and non-purposeful. Now let me mention a scenario. <INSERT ILLUSTRATION>. Do you think in the video anyone catching the pig is primarily by skill or chance?
NON-CHRISTIAN: Chance.
CHRISTIAN: Likewise with your worldview even if knowledge can exist (which I don’t grant), there still is not the possibility of epistemic skill and virtue being an important factor of acquisition of knowledge as in a theistic worldview. That is because chance in a chance universe downplay the methods and tools for knowledge.
NON-CHRISTIAN: Can you explain to me why you keep on thinking an atheistic worldview destroys morality?
CHRISTIAN: Let me try. Do you believe believe God has nothing to do with morality right?
NON-CHRISTIAN: No.
CHRISTIAN: Now let me mention a scenario. <INSERT ILLUSTRATION>. Do you obey the stop sign if its placed by accident?
NON-CHRISTIAN: No.
CHRISTIAN: Why is that?
NON-CHRISTIAN: The answer is because it was the result of chance.
CHRISTIAN: Likewise with your worldview that believes in a chance universe reducing all attempts of morality as meaningless.
The Domain for Truth 
[…] Apologetics Sermon Illustration #78: Blindfold Ear-Plugged Pig Catching and Epistemic Virtue […]
Excellent insight brother. Thanks for continuing this series.
Shalom!
Yes, excellent insights as Micheal said but I do need a dictionary alongside your posts!
Enjoyed the pig analogy and the video. Looks like the pig eluded all the contestants. Does he get to go free or end up roasted anyway? How’s that for futility of winning!
I appreciate the sample dialog too. Thank you Pastor for your fine work in stirring our thinking!
Thanks Lisa for reading this! I appreciate it. I wonder what happened to the pig too! It was also a video that was insightful of another culture! But that’s a tangent from the point I was trying to make. I am always fascinated with how different cultures celebrate things, always intrigued by it, and then noticing any similarities there is with other cultures. I appreciate you looking up the dictionary what I was trying to say; maybe it’s late night writing I didn’t define things as much and just used terms to be faster so I can go to sleep. That’s dedication on your part!!!
I don’t think I could catch that pig even if I were not blindfolded. It can see and intentionally avoid me and is also more agile. Good point about chance. It undermines the possibility of knowledge and morality.
Amen to this: “ Good point about chance. It undermines the possibility of knowledge and morality.” Glad you saw the main point! I also don’t think I could have caught it either! Too much coordination 😂
This is a great illustration!!!!! These apologetics lessons the last few weeks are more in-depth material so thank you for these insightful and useful illustrations and your apologetics Tuesday night/Wed morning study!!!
Thanks for joining in these studies sister! I am totally enjoying this series but I also realize I can’t do this forever as some rightfully would want to go back to the Word of God based studies. Appreciate you joining in the studies. Hope your day goes well with your mom and Nathan! Do you have a break before your next classes??
I do think these are “Word of God based,” but I get your point! I’m off this week but start again next week. I will start my Greek 2 hw this week.
Thanks for the analogy (and funny video). Trying to create morality from an atheistic worldview is as ludicrous as trying to catch a little pig blindfolded.
Thanks for reading this post! Hope the illustration makes its point! How goes your day today brother???
RE: day
My day was good, thanks! Cut the back lawn and did some shopping with my wife. Pooped!
How’s your Tuesday going?
Appropriate analogy since atheist is banking on everything arising out of chance. It makes everything absurd
It’s also quite hilarious
[…] GO TO PART 78 […]
This is a good illustration to have kids do too for kids apologetics
This looks like so much community fun!
Reblogged this on My Logos Word.
[…] 5.) Apologetics Sermon Illustration #78: Blindfold Ear-Plugged Pig Catching and Epistemic Virtue […]
[…] GO TO PART 78 […]
If there’s ever an apologetics VBS this could be an activity
ROFL Very funny LOL ❤
Wow thank you for your many comments Kristi and also likes and views!!
[…] Blindfold Ear-Plugged Pig Catching and Epistemic Virtue […]
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.” Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God….
It’s proper to love and forgive others, but some people need to be kept at a far distance lest they corrupt us. Do you think so?
Some people are blind leading the blind