Most of the contemporary debates on the existence of God take place in the realm of the natural sciences. Perhaps the reason for this is that science, along with mathematics, is considered to be the most precise and certain field of knowledge. If it can be shown that God exists or does not exist based upon scientific evidence, it is thought, one will finally close the door on the most vital of questions.
The problem with this common opinion is that science as such has the prior obligation to examine matter and its various forms and motions alone. It therefore cannot touch the immaterial. Whenever science looks upon and tries to explain a particular phenomenon it will always try to give material and mechanistic causes. It cannot help but do so, since to act otherwise would be against its nature and method. This is because science can only investigate what can be experimented on and interacted with in a physical way. Science as such ignores the spiritual and is mute as to its existence.
The theologian, on the other hand, is in a similar predicament. He takes as a principle of his inquiries the existence of God. And since all of his arguments are based upon this principle, none of his arguments are helpful to the answering of this question.
What one usually sees, however, in public debates on this issue is a scientist against a theologian, or a scientist against a scientist. Yet neither of them are qualified to speak on the matter and will never be able to truly communicate with each other without some mediator. The two fields of knowledge are akin to two parallel planes. No matter how long the argumentation is extended, they will never be able to meet to form any definite conclusion. They will never cut into the space that separates them, that space which is the only realm where such a question as the existence of God can truly be discussed.
To whom then can we turn? Is there a field of knowledge that is capable of acting as the perpendicular between these parallel planes? The answer, of course, is found in philosophy which has historically always looked upon this question as its burden alone. For it is only through the analysis of being that one can touch upon the immaterial, and being as such is studied by first philosophy. Therefore, if we are to come to any rational conclusion about the existence of God, we must turn to what philosophy says on the matter.
