Timothy O'Connor

Theism and Ultimate Explanation

The Necessary Shape of Contingency

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Theism and Ultimate Explanation engages with the traditional metaphysician's quest for a true ultimate explanation of the most general features of the world we inhabit.

The first part of the book develops an original view concerning the epistemology and metaphysics of modality, or truths concerning what is possible or necessary. This framework is then applied to a re-examination of the cosmological argument for theism. O'Connor defends a novel version of the Leibnizian cosmological argument from contingency for the existence of a transcendent necessary being as the source and basis for the ultimate explanation of contingent beings and their interconnected histories.

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An expansive, yet succinct, analysis of the Philosophy of Religion - from metaphysics through theology. Organized into two sections, the text first examines truths concerning what is possible and what is necessary. These chapters lay the foundation for the book's second part - the search for a metaphysical framework that permits the possibility of an ultimate explanation that is correct and complete.

A cutting-edge scholarly work which engages with the traditional metaphysician's quest for a true ultimate explanation of the most general features of the world we inhabit
Develops an original view concerning the epistemology and metaphysics of modality, or truths concerning what is possible or necessary
Applies this framework to a re-examination of the cosmological argument for theism
Defends a novel version of the Leibnizian cosmological argument

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley & Sons
• 1. Auflage
• Seitenzahl: 192
• Erscheinungstermin: 20. Januar 2012
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 230mm x 165mm x 9mm
• Gewicht: 252g
• ISBN-13: 9781444350883
• ISBN-10: 1444350889
• Artikelnr.: 34159412

Autorenporträt

Timothy O'Connor is Professor of Philosophy at Indiana University Bloomington. He has published widely in the areas of metaphysics, philosophy of mind and action, and philosophy of religion. He is the author of Persons and Causes (2000) and the editor of Agents, Causes, and Events: Essays on Indeterminism and Free Will (1995), Philosophy of Mind: Contemporary Readings (2003), Downward Causation And The Neurobiology Of Free Will (2009), Emergence in Science and Philosophy (2010) and A Companion to the Philosophy of Action (2010).

Inhaltsangabe

Preface ix Part I The Explanatory Role of Necessity 1 1. Modality and
Explanation 3 Relative and Absolute Necessity 3 Scientifically Established
Necessities 5 An Epistemological Worry about Modality: Causal Contact with
Modal Facts 7 Modal Nihilism 10 Modal Reductionism and Defl ationism 15
Modal Anti-Realism and Quasi-Realism 27 Conclusion 30 2. Modal Knowledge 32
Conceivability As Our Guide? 32 Modality a Matter of Principle? 36 The
Theoretical Roles of Modal Claims: Towards a Modal Epistemology 41 The
Spheres of Possibility 60 Part II The Necessary Shape of Contingency 63 3.
Ultimate Explanation and Necessary Being: The Existence Stage of the
Cosmological Argument 65 Necessary Being 68 Two Objections to the
Traditional Answer 73 Necessary Being As the Explanatory Ground of
Contingency? 79 4. The Identification Stage 86 From Necessary Being to God,
I: Transcendent, Not Immanent 86 Two Models of Transcendent Necessary
Being: Logos and Chaos 93 Varieties of Chaos 93 Interlude: The Fine-Tuning
Argument 97 From Necessary Being to God, II: Logos, Not Random Chaos 109 5.
The Scope of Contingency 111 How Many Universes Would Perfection Realize?
111 Perfection and Freedom 121 Some Applications of the
Many-Universe-Creation Hypothesis 122 Necessary Being and the Scope of
Possibility 125 Necessary Being and the Many Necessary Truths 128 6. The
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Anselm? 130 The Unity of the Divine Nature and
Its Consequences 132 Natural Theology in the Understanding of Revealed
Theology 140 Coda 143 Notes 145 Bibliography 162 Index 172

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Preface ix

Part I The Explanatory Role of Necessity 1

1. Modality and Explanation 3

Relative and Absolute Necessity 3

Scientifi cally Established Necessities 5

An Epistemological Worry about Modality: Causal Contact withModal Facts 7

Modal Nihilism 10

Modal Reductionism and Defl ationism 15

Modal Anti-Realism and Quasi-Realism 27

Conclusion 30

2. Modal Knowledge 32

Conceivability As Our Guide? 32

Modality a Matter of Principle? 36

The Theoretical Roles of Modal Claims: Towards a ModalEpistemology 41

The Spheres of Possibility 60

Part II The Necessary Shape of Contingency 63

3. Ultimate Explanation and Necessary Being: The ExistenceStage of the Cosmological Argument 65

Necessary Being 68

Two Objections to the Traditional Answer 73

Necessary Being As the Explanatory Ground of Contingency? 79

4. The Identifi cation Stage 86

From Necessary Being to God, I: Transcendent, Not Immanent86

Two Models of Transcendent Necessary Being: Logos and Chaos93

Varieties of Chaos 93

Interlude: The Fine-Tuning Argument 97

From Necessary Being to God, II: Logos, Not Random Chaos 109

5. The Scope of Contingency 111

How Many Universes Would Perfection Realize? 111

Perfection and Freedom 121

Some Applications of the Many-Universe-Creation Hypothesis122

Necessary Being and the Scope of Possibility 125

Necessary Being and the Many Necessary Truths 128

6. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Anselm? 130

The Unity of the Divine Nature and Its Consequences 132

Natural Theology in the Understanding of Revealed Theology140

Coda 143

Notes 145

Bibliography 162

Index 172

Rezensionen

"This trim but highly technical volume is indisensable forscholars and graudate-level researchers in the field. SummingUp: Essential. Graduate students andresearchers/faculty." (Choice, 1 October2012)

"Despite these limitations, this book is worth reading. It willalert theologians to the philosophical strength of cosmologicalarguments and the superficial objections to them. It will alsointerest philosophers of religion and those working on modallogic." (The Journal of Religion, 2011)

"It will alert theologians to the philosophical strength ofcosmological arguments and the superficial objections to them. Itwill also interest philosophers of religion and those working onmodal logic." (Journal of Religion, 1 April 2011)

"O'Connor does not disappoint those who are used to thehigh levels of clarity, rigor, and originality that readers of hiswork on free will and emergence have come to expect fromhim." (Mind, July 2009)

"A breathtaking sweep from metaphysics through theology.This is a superb book in the philosophy of religion, the like ofwhose quality and originality is rare."
Alexander Pruss, Baylor University