The Nature of God: An Inquiry into Divine Attributes

by Edward R. Wierenga

Overview

The Nature of God explores a perennial problem in the philosophy of religion. Drawing upon developments in philosophy, most notably those in philosophical logic, Edward R. Wierenga examines the traditional divine attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, timelessness, immutability, and goodness. His philosophically defensible formulations of the nature of God are in accord with the views of classical theists. The author provides an account of each of the divine attributes by stating in contemporary terms what such classical theists as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas wrote about the nature of God; he then seeks to determine whether one can defend the ascription of traditional divine attributes to God against philosophical objections.

Clearly written and comprehensive, The Nature of God contains a wealth of illuminating and original material on a central topic in the philosophy of religion

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501711657
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	05/31/2018
Series:	Cornell Studies in the Philosophy of Religion
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Edward Wierenga is Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Introduction	1
1	Divine Attributes	1
2	Some Metaphysical Assumptions	6
3	Modality	7
4	Possible Worlds, Essential Properties, and Essences	9
1	Omnipotence	12
1	The Problem	12
2	Conditions on Omnipotence	14
3	Initial Segments and Strong Actualization	18
4	A Definition of Omnipotence	25
5	Two Objections	27
6	The Paradox of the Stone	29
7	Atemporal Omnipotence	33
2	Omniscience	36
1	Defining Omniscience	36
2	Some Complications	38
3	Incorrigibility and Essential Omniscience	39
4	De Dicto et De Re	41
5	De Re et De Se	46
6	Some Objections	53
3	Foreknowledge, Free Will, and the Necessity of the Past	59
1	Foreknowledge and Free Will	59
2	Foreknowledge and Accidental Necessity	64
3	The Assumption Restated	71
4	Freedom and the Ability to Do Otherwise	74
4	Accidental Necessity	86
1	Foreknowledge and Fatalism	86
2	Accidental Necessity	90
3	Another Formal Approach	100
4	A Final Formal Approach	104
5	Accidental Necessity and Ability	108
6	Incompatibilism and Divine Timelessness	113
5	Omniscience, Free Will, and Middle Knowledge	116
1	Middle Knowledge	116
2	Creation, Actualization, and Providence	119
3	Evil and the Free Will Defense	126
4	The Doctrine of Middle Knowledge	133
5	The No Grounds Objection	140
6	Acting out of Character	143
7	The Not True Soon Enough Objection	148
8	Another No Grounds Objection	150
9	Alternatives to Middle Knowledge	160
6	Eternity, Timelessness, and Immutability	166
1	Eternity, Timelessness, and Immutability	166
2	Some Reservations	172
3	Temporal Indexicals and Immutability	175
4	Some Objections	183
5	An Alternative Account of Omniscience	186
6	Divine Action and Immutability	191
7	Divine Goodness and Impeccability	202
1	Perfectly Good	202
2	Goodness and Omnipotence	204
3	Goodness and Freedom	207
4	Impeccability and Praiseworthiness	211
8	The Source of Moral Obligation	213
1	God and Morality	213
2	The Divine Command Theory	215
3	Divine Commands and Divine Will	217
4	Some Objections	219
5	Utilitarianism and the Divine Command Theory	232
6	Conclusion	235
	Index	237

Editorial Reviews

There is a fascinating and ongoing debate among analytic philosophers concerning the attributes of God and the relationship between God and the world. The discussion uses the tools of contemporary logic... to clarify and, hopefully, settle these issues. Wierenga's book is a substantial contribution to that debate.... It provides an overview of the twists and turns of contemporary discussion.

Journal of the American Academy of Religion

There is a fascinating and ongoing debate among analytic philosophers concerning the attributes of God and the relationship between God and the world. The discussion uses the tools of contemporary logic... to clarify and, hopefully, settle these issues. Wierenga's book is a substantial contribution to that debate.... It provides an overview of the twists and turns of contemporary discussion.

-- "Journal of the American Academy of Religion"

From the Publisher