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More About This Textbook
Overview
Reading Philosophy of Religion offers a diverse collection of carefully chosen classical and contemporary texts in philosophy of religion accompanied by detailed and insightful commentaries as well as questions to stimulate further study. The readings reflect central topics of study: religious language; the existence of God; reason, argument and belief in God; divine properties; and religious pluralism. The twenty-three excerpts span the philosophical spectrum and include such thinkers as Alston, Anselm, Aquinas, Ayer, Berkeley, Boethius, Clifford, Hume, Paley, Pascal, Plantinga, Putnam and Rowe.
With its combination of thoughtfully chosen texts and illuminating analysis, Reading Philosophy of Religion is the ideal choice for an introductory textbook in philosophy of religion courses, or for any individual curious about the philosophical study of the nature of religion.
What People Are Saying
From the Publisher
"This is a brilliant set of readings with unique and student-friendly commentaries that makes it an ideal, vibrant resource for the study and practice of philosophy of religion today." Charles Taliaferro, St. Olaf College
“For those with a basic grounding in Philosophy, this book represents an ideal introduction to Philosophy of Religion in the Western tradition. Oppy and Scott are to be commended for encouraging and enabling detailed engagement with some of the most important primary texts in the field.” Dr Elizabeth Burns, Heythrop College, University of London
Product Details
Meet the Author
Graham Oppy is Professor of Philosophy at Monash University, where he has recently been Head of the School of Philosophy and Bioethics, and Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Arts. His publications in philosophy of religion include Ontological Arguments and Belief in God (1996), Philosophical Perspectives on Infinity (2006), and Arguing about Gods (2006) and numerous journal articles.
Michael Scott is lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Manchester and editor of Ars Disputandi, an online journal in philosophy of religion. He has written several papers in philosophy of religion and perception and co-authored Realism and Religion (2007) with Andrew Moore.
Table of Contents
Sources and Acknowledgements ix
Introduction 1
1 Religious Language 5
Introduction 5
Introduction to Ayer 8
A. J. Ayer, 'Critique of Theology' (selection from Language, Truth and Logic, ch. 6) 8
Commentary on Ayer 11
Introduction to Berkeley 19
George Berkeley, Alciphron (selection from the seventh dialogue) 20
Commentary on Berkeley 26
Introduction to Putnam 33
Hilary Putnam, 'Wittgenstein on Religious Language' (selection from Renewing Philosophy, chs 7-8) 34
Commentary on Putnam 44
Introduction to Alston 50
William Alston, 'Irreducible Metaphors in Theology' 51
Commentary on Alston 62
2 Arguments about the Existence of God 67
Introduction 67
Introduction to Anselm 70
Anselm, Proslogion, ch. II 70
Commentary on Anselm 71
Introduction to Aquinas 81
Aquinas, Summa theologica, The Second Way 82
Commentary on Aquinas 82
Introduction to Pascal 93
Blaise Pascal, Pensées, 'Pascal's Wager' 94
Commentary on Pascal 96
Introduction to Paley 103
William Paley, Natural Theology (selection) 104
Commentary on Paley 110
Introduction to Hume 116
David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (selection) 117
Commentary on Hume 122
Introduction to Everitt 126
Nicholas Everitt, The Non-existence of God, ch. 5 (selection) 127
Commentary on Everitt 132
Introduction to Mackie 138
John Leslie Mackie, 'Evil and Omnipotence' 139
Commentary on Mackie 146
Introduction to Rowe 151
William Leonard Rowe, 'The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism' 151
Commentary on Rowe 156
3 Evidence, Argument and Belief in God 161
Introduction 161
Introduction to New 163
Christopher New, 'Antitheism: A Reflection' 164
Commentary on New 170
Introduction to Clifford 175
William Clifford, 'The Ethics of Belief' 176
Commentary on Clifford 180
Introduction to James 187
William James, 'The Will to Believe' 187
Commentary on James 198
Introduction to Plantinga 204
Alvin Plantinga, 'Is Belief in God Properly Basic?' 204
Commentary on Plantinga 213
Introduction to Rey 221
Georges Rey, 'Meta-atheism: Religious Avowal as Self-deception' 222
Commentary on Rey 230
4 Divine Attributes 235
Introduction 235
Introduction to Savage 238
C. Wade Savage, 'The Paradox of the Stone' 238
Commentary on Savage 243
Introduction to Pike 248
Nelson Pike, 'Divine Omniscience and Voluntary Action' 249
Commentary on Pike 251
Introduction to Kretzmann 257
Norman J. Kretzmann, 'Abraham, Isaac and Euthyphro: God and the Basis of Morality' 258
Commentary on Kretzmann 264
Introduction to Boethius 270
Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy (selection) 271
Commentary on Boethius 274
5 Religious Diversity 280
Introduction 280
Introduction to Hick 282
John Hick, The Interpretation of Religion (selection) 283
Commentary on Hick 287
Introduction to Plantinga 293
Alvin Plantinga, 'Pluralism: A Defense of Religious Exclusivism' (selection) 294
Commentary on Plantinga 304
Index 310