Michael Martin (1932-2015) Was a Professor at Boston University and Author

question 14

True/False

Michael Martin (1932-2015) was a professor at Boston University and author of several books including Atheism, Morality, and Meaning (2002) and Atheism: A Philosophical Justification (1990). He also edited several collections, most notably The Cambridge Companion to Atheism (2006). Martin critiques Alvin Plantinga's argument that it is acceptable for persons to believe that God exists even if they cannot produce evidence or argument to justify that belief. Plantinga begins with the traditional philosophical view that all our beliefs are based ultimately on beliefs that are "properly basic"-they are either self-evident (such as "two plus two equals four") or evident to the senses (as when our looking at or remembering a tree shows immediately that there is or was a tree). To be counted as genuine knowledge our beliefs must be either properly basic or justified by beliefs that ultimately rest on those that are properly basic. Plantinga contends that belief in God can be a properly basic belief and thus require no supporting evidence. Martin argues, however, that because Plantinga's approach allows people to formulate their own properly basic criteria from their own unique experience and perspective, almost any belief-no matter how bizarre-could be considered properly basic.
-Martin concludes that Plantinga's foundationalism is radically relativistic.

---

Definitions:

Sustainable Career Advantage

The ongoing ability to maintain and grow one’s career over time through continuous learning, skill development, and adaptability to changing work environments.

Personal Attributes

Qualities or characteristics that define an individual’s personality, often influencing their behavior and manner in personal and professional contexts.

Employers

Individuals or organizations that hire and pay people to work for them, typically providing salary or wages in exchange for the employee's labor.

Oligopolies

A market structure characterized by a small number of large firms that dominate the market, often leading to limited competition.