How many and why?: A question for Graham Oppy that classical theism can answer
I argue that classical theism has a significant advantage as a theory of the First Cause over Graham Oppy's naturalistic account. This is because classical theism not only gives us a clear answer to the question of how many first causes there are but also because it explains why there is that n...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
2022
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| In: |
Religious studies
Year: 2022, Volume: 58, Issue: 4, Pages: 846-856 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Oppy, Graham 1960-
/ Theism
/ Naturalism (Philosophy)
/ Cosmological proof of God's existence
/ Omnipotence
/ Perfection
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| IxTheo Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism NBC Doctrine of God |
| Further subjects: | B
Graham Oppy
B Philosophy of religion B Naturalism B Classical Theism B God B gap problem |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | I argue that classical theism has a significant advantage as a theory of the First Cause over Graham Oppy's naturalistic account. This is because classical theism not only gives us a clear answer to the question of how many first causes there are but also because it explains why there is that number and not another. In comparison, Oppy's ‘initial physical state’ account seemingly leaves these questions hopelessly open, and so does his ‘metaphysical simples’ proposal for a foundational layer of reality. I end by exploring two arguments from omnipotence and perfection that could be of use also to non-classical theists. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-901X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religious studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0034412521000482 |