The Idealist View of Divine Action in Nature
Theologies of divine action in nature have sought to maximize traction with the sciences to secure their credibility. While varying in significant ways, all extant proposals share a commitment to physical realism, the claim that (at least some) physical entities and facts are both mind-independent a...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2020]
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| In: |
Zygon
Year: 2020, Volume: 55, Issue: 4, Pages: 924-947 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Schöpferkraft Gottes
/ Natural sciences
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| IxTheo Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism CF Christianity and Science NBC Doctrine of God |
| Further subjects: | B
Qualia
B Reduction B laws of nature B Idealism B Phenomenalism B Realism B Conceptualism B Divine Action B supervenience |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Theologies of divine action in nature have sought to maximize traction with the sciences to secure their credibility. While varying in significant ways, all extant proposals share a commitment to physical realism, the claim that (at least some) physical entities and facts are both mind-independent and ontologically basic within creation. However, I will argue that this metaphysical commitment undermines the body of scientific knowledge to which theologians wish to be responsive. Is there an alternative? Building on the work of Howard Robinson, I will show that there is a coherent account of mind's place in nature that denies physical realism. Such an account would enable a theological description of God's sustaining and governing action in nature through the ontological mediation of minds and laws causally constraining their sensations. Furthermore, this proposal yields a positive research program that makes essential use of the contributions of the natural sciences to understand the nature of embodiment. |
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| ISSN: | 1467-9744 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Zygon
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12655 |