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There are deep and pervasive disagreements today in universities
and colleges, and popular culture in general, over the credibility
and value of belief in God. This has given rise to an urgent need
for a balanced, comprehensive, accessible resource book that can
inform the public and scholarly debate over theism. While scholars
with as diverse interests as Daniel Dennett, Terry Eagleton,
Richard Dawkins, Jurgen Habermas, and Rowan Williams have recently
contributed books to this debate, "theism" as a concept remains
poorly understood and requires a more thorough and systematic
analysis than it has so far received in any single volume. The
Routledge Companion to Theism addresses this need by investigating
theism's history as well as its relationship to inquiry in the
sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and to its wider
cultural contexts. The contents are not confined within the
philosophy of religion or even within the more expansive borders of
philosophy. Rather, The Routledge Companion to Theism investigates
its subject through the lens of a wide variety of disciplines and
explores the ramifications of theism considered as a way of life as
well as an intellectual conviction. The five parts of the volume
indicate its inclusive scope: I. What is Theism?; II. Theism and
Inquiry; III. Theism and the Socio-Political Realm; IV. Theism and
Culture; V. Theism as a Way of Life. The result is a well ordered
and thorough collection that should provide a wide spectrum of
readers with a better understanding of a subject that's much
discussed, but frequently misunderstood. As the editors note in
their Introduction, while stimulating and informing the
contemporary debate, a key aim of the volume is to open new avenues
of inquiry into theism and thereby to encourage further research
into this vital topic. Comprised of 54 essays by leading scholars
in philosophy, history, theology, religious studies, political
science, education and sociology, The Routledge Companion to Theism
promises to be the most useful, comprehensive resource on an
emerging subject of interest for students and scholars.
What are we asking when we ask, "What is the meaning of life?"? Can
there be meaning without God? Is a happy life a meaningful life?
Can an immoral life be meaningful? Does our suffering have meaning?
Does death threaten meaning? What is this thing called The Meaning
of Life? provides an engaging and stimulating introduction to
philosophical thinking about life's meaning. Goetz and Seachris
provide the reader with accessible examples, before looking at the
main theoretical approaches to meaning and key philosophers
associated with them. Topics covered include: What does the
question, "What is the meaning of life?", even mean? Does life have
a purpose? What is valuable? Do we matter? Does life (or my life)
make any sense? Is there any meaning in suffering? Does death
threaten meaning? Would immortality be good or bad news for us?
With boxed summaries of key concepts and noteworthy examples,
discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading included
within each chapter, this book is the ideal introduction to life's
meaning for philosophy students coming to the subject for the first
time.
Why pursue a university education? Some people answer in terms of
the purpose of getting a good job. Others respond in terms of the
aim of earning more money. Still others answer in terms of the goal
of promoting social justice. Drawing on C. S. Lewis’s belief that
the purpose of life is the experience of perfect happiness, Stewart
Goetz explains Lewis’s simple but overlooked view that a person
should pursue a university education for the pleasure that comes
from higher-level intellectual activity. Goetz not only sharpens
our understanding of Lewis’s life and work in higher education,
but also leads us to question why we attend, study, teach, or
research at a university.
What are we asking when we ask, "What is the meaning of life?"? Can
there be meaning without God? Is a happy life a meaningful life?
Can an immoral life be meaningful? Does our suffering have meaning?
Does death threaten meaning? What is this thing called The Meaning
of Life? provides an engaging and stimulating introduction to
philosophical thinking about life's meaning. Goetz and Seachris
provide the reader with accessible examples, before looking at the
main theoretical approaches to meaning and key philosophers
associated with them. Topics covered include: What does the
question, "What is the meaning of life?", even mean? Does life have
a purpose? What is valuable? Do we matter? Does life (or my life)
make any sense? Is there any meaning in suffering? Does death
threaten meaning? Would immortality be good or bad news for us?
With boxed summaries of key concepts and noteworthy examples,
discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading included
within each chapter, this book is the ideal introduction to life's
meaning for philosophy students coming to the subject for the first
time.
Why pursue a university education? Some people answer in terms of
the purpose of getting a good job. Others respond in terms of the
aim of earning more money. Still others answer in terms of the goal
of promoting social justice. Drawing on C. S. Lewis’s belief that
the purpose of life is the experience of perfect happiness, Stewart
Goetz explains Lewis’s simple but overlooked view that a person
should pursue a university education for the pleasure that comes
from higher-level intellectual activity. Goetz not only sharpens
our understanding of Lewis’s life and work in higher education,
but also leads us to question why we attend, study, teach, or
research at a university.
Although it has been almost seventy years since Time declared C.S.
Lewis one of the world's most influential spokespersons for
Christianity and fifty years since Lewis's death, his influence
remains just as great if not greater today. While much has been
written on Lewis and his work, virtually nothing has been written
from a philosophical perspective on his views of happiness,
pleasure, pain, and the soul and body. As a result, no one so far
has recognized that his views on these matters are deeply
interesting and controversial, and-perhaps more jarring-no one has
yet adequately explained why Lewis never became a Roman Catholic.
Stewart Goetz's careful investigation of Lewis's philosophical
thought reveals oft-overlooked implications and demonstrates that
it was, at its root, at odds with that of Thomas Aquinas and,
thereby, the Roman Catholic Church.
Although it has been almost seventy years since Time declared C.S.
Lewis one of the world's most influential spokespersons for
Christianity and fifty years since Lewis's death, his influence
remains just as great if not greater today. While much has been
written on Lewis and his work, virtually nothing has been written
from a philosophical perspective on his views of happiness,
pleasure, pain, and the soul and body. As a result, no one so far
has recognized that his views on these matters are deeply
interesting and controversial, and-perhaps more jarring-no one has
yet adequately explained why Lewis never became a Roman Catholic.
Stewart Goetz's careful investigation of Lewis's philosophical
thought reveals oft-overlooked implications and demonstrates that
it was, at its root, at odds with that of Thomas Aquinas and,
thereby, the Roman Catholic Church.
In Freedom, Teleology, and Evil Stewart Goetz defends the existence
of libertarian freedom of the will. He argues that choices are
essentially uncaused events with teleological explanations in the
form of reasons or purposes. Because choices are uncaused events
with teleological explanations, whenever agents choose they are
free to choose otherwise. Given this freedom to choose otherwise,
agents are morally responsible for how they choose. Thus, Goetz
advocates and defends the principle of alternative possibilities
which states that agents are morally responsible for a choice only
if they are free to choose otherwise. Finally, given that agents
have libertarian freedom, Goetz contends that this freedom is
integral to the construction of a theodicy which explains why God
allows evil.
In "Freedom, Teleology, and Evil" Stewart Goetz defends the
existence of libertarian freedom of the will. He argues that
choices are essentially uncaused events with teleological
explanations in the form of reasons or purposes. Because choices
are uncaused events with teleological explanations, whenever agents
choose they are free to choose otherwise. Given this freedom to
choose otherwise, agents are morally responsible for how they
choose. Thus, Goetz advocates and defends the principle of
alternative possibilities which states that agents are morally
responsible for a choice only if they are free to choose otherwise.
Finally, given that agents have libertarian freedom, Goetz contends
that this freedom is integral to the construction of a theodicy
which explains why God allows evil."Continuum Studies in the
Philosophy of Religion" presents scholarly monographs offering
cutting-edge research and debate to students and scholars in
philosophy of religion. The series engages with the central
questions and issues within the field, including the problem of
evil, the cosmological, teleological, moral, and ontological
arguments for the existence of God, divine foreknowledge, and the
coherence of theism. It also incorporates volumes on the following
metaphysical issues as and when they directly impact on the
philosophy of religion: the existence and nature of the soul, the
existence and nature of free will, natural law, the meaning of
life, and science and religion.
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Naturalism (Paperback)
Stewart Goetz, Charles Taliaferro
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R457
R395
Discovery Miles 3 950
Save R62 (14%)
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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This inaugural Interventions volume introduces readers to the
dominant scientifically oriented worldview called naturalism.
Stewart Goetz and Charles Taliaferro examine naturalism
philosophically, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses. Whereas
most other books on naturalism are written for professional
philosophers alone, this one is aimed primarily at a
college-educated audience interested in learning about this
pervasive worldview. Read a related blog post by the authors on
EerdWord.
Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest among
analytic philosophers in the topic of life's meaning. What is
striking about this surge of work is that nearly all of it is by
naturalists theorizing from non-theistic starting points. This book
answers the need for a theistic philosophical perspective on the
meaning of life. Bringing together some of the leading thinkers in
analytic philosophy of religion and theology, God and Meaning
touches on important issues in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics,
philosophy of religion, and biblical theology that intersect with
life's meaning. In particular: What does the question "What is the
meaning of life?" mean? How can we know if life has meaning and
what that meaning is? Might God enhance life's meaningfulness in
some ways but detract from it in others? Is the most meaningful
life one of perfect happiness? What is the relationship between
eternity and life's meaning? How does the Old Testament book of
Ecclesiastes illumine the topic? Should we hope that a kind of
transcendent meaning exists? Presenting a state-of-the-art
assessment of current philosophical positions on these and many
other questions, God and Meaning is an invaluable resource for all
students and scholars of the philosophy of religion.
Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest among
analytic philosophers in the topic of life's meaning. What is
striking about this surge of work is that nearly all of it is by
naturalists theorizing from non-theistic starting points. This book
answers the need for a theistic philosophical perspective on the
meaning of life. Bringing together some of the leading thinkers in
analytic philosophy of religion and theology, God and Meaning
touches on important issues in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics,
philosophy of religion, and biblical theology that intersect with
life's meaning. In particular: What does the question "What is the
meaning of life?" mean? How can we know if life has meaning and
what that meaning is? Might God enhance life's meaningfulness in
some ways but detract from it in others? Is the most meaningful
life one of perfect happiness? What is the relationship between
eternity and life's meaning? How does the Old Testament book of
Ecclesiastes illumine the topic? Should we hope that a kind of
transcendent meaning exists? Presenting a state-of-the-art
assessment of current philosophical positions on these and many
other questions, God and Meaning is an invaluable resource for all
students and scholars of the philosophy of religion.
What does philosophy have to say on the question of the meaning of
life? This is one of the founding questions of philosophy and has
remained a central problem for philosophers from antiquity through
to the Middle Ages and modern period. ?It may surprise some readers
that there has, in fact, been a good deal of agreement on the
answer to this question: the meaning of life is happiness.The
Purpose of Life is a serious but engaging exploration and defense
of this answer. The central idea that shapes The Purpose of Life is
Augustine's assertion that "It is the decided opinion of all who
use their brains that all men desire to be happy." In working
through the ramifications of this answer, Stewart Goetz provides a
survey of the debates surrounding life's meaning, from both theists
and atheists alike.
Experts from different fields argue that there are good reasons to
believe in the existence of the soul as distinct from the physical
body. What do we mean when we speak about the soul? What are the
arguments for the existence of the soul as distinct from the
physical body? Do animals have souls? What is the difference
between the mind and the soul? "The Soul Hypothesis" brings
together experts from philosophy, linguistics and science to
discuss the validity of these questions in the modern world. They
contend that there is an aspect of the nature of human beings that
is not reducible to the matter that makes up our bodies. This
perspective is part of a family of views traditionally classified
in philosophy as substance dualism, and has something serious in
common with the ubiquitous human belief in the soul. "The Soul
Hypothesis" presents views from a range of sciences and the
resulting big picture shows, more clearly than one author could
with one area of expertise, that there is room for a soul
hypothesis.
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