Kcb plantingas book with the title knowledge and christian belief. Apr 15, 20 plantinga aims to clarify their thinking. Because these disciplines are so broadly construed, the christian who is interested in apparent conflicts between science and biblical christianity will likely be somewhat disappointed in plantingas treatment. Alvin plantinga famously defends a version of the ontological argument that makes use of the notion of possible worlds.
Faith and rationality investigates the rich implications of what the contributors call calvinistic or reformed epistemology. The ethics of belief and two conceptions of christian faith. A philosophers view of god and evolution national catholic. Obrien professor of philosophy at the university of notre dame. Alvin plantingas warranted christian belief is the capstone to the latest stage in his views on the intellectual credibility of theism in general, and christian theism in particular. T his is a collection of philosophical papers by alvin plantinga. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Rbg plantingas essay with the title reason and belief in god. Is alvin plantinga arguing gods existence based on. Of course christians may disagree, at least in emphasis, as to how to think of god. Reason and belief in god, in faith and rationality, eds. Why god can exist by alvin plantinga s modal ontological.
How alvin plantinga paved the way for christian philosophys comeback the professor, scholar, and 2017 templeton prize winner reflects on over 50 years of defending the reasonableness of theism. To argue at all would be to admit that the world is designed. Reason and belief in god, in faith and rationality ed. The second essay is william alstons christian experience and christian belief. Alvin carl plantinga born november 15, 1932 is an american philosopher and holder of the jellema chair in philosophy at calvin college. Warranted christian belief is pretty long more than 500 pages and in spots fairly difficult. The god delusion is an extended diatribe against religion in general and belief in god in particular. Why god can exist by alvin plantinga s modal ontological argument essay 31 words 6 pages a man can no more diminish gods glory by refusing to worship him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, darkness on the walls of his cell. A critique of plantingas reformed epistemology sspace. Alvin plantinga calvincollfge many philosophers have urged the. Moreover, a selfevident proposition is personrelative.
The idea that religious belief is some sort of illness or irrational stance, is not uncommon in western europe. God, freedom and evil is a short work, originally published in the mid1970s, wherein plantinga addresses issues pertaining to the existence of god. A classic work in the philosophy of religion, plantingas god, freedom, and evil is the single most influential text on the problem of evil in the past fifty years. Alvin plantinga is one of the worlds top christian philosophers.
He is widely known for his work in epistemology and philosophy of religion, and is the author of warranted christian belief 2000. It focuses upon this epistemology as a philosophical interpretation of what is generally taken to be a narrow theological doctrine. It is instead naturalism, the belief in an evolution that is random and undirected, that pushes. God and other minds is a 1967 book by the american philosopher of religion alvin plantinga which rekindled philosophical debate on the existence of god in angloamerican philosophical circles by arguing that belief in god was like belief in other minds. He is also editor with matthew davidson of essays in the metaphysics of modality 2003 michael tooley is distinguished college professor of. The book draws upon the authors prior works, the nature of necessity and god and other minds. Alvin plantinga on the god delusion darryl burling. Its a great introduction to the thought he more fully develops later on primarily in the warrant series. Thats such an important statement it is essential to pause, think about it carefully, think about it some more, and finally, to reflect on it once again. Alvin plantinga, reason and belief in god philpapers. Warranted christian belief first and foremost represents plantingas application of the conclusions of his previous warrant volumes in a more rigorous defence of the claim in reason and belief in god that theistic belief can be not only rational, but rational even in the absence of supporting beliefs or arguments.
Although plantinga cannot remember ever not having been convinced. Contrary to stereotypes, this did not make young alvin a bookish nerd indeed, he was an enthusiastic participant in high school football, basketball and tennis. Now god can create free creatures, but he cant cause or determine them to do only what is right. If knowledge then god james anderson 5 the belief that humans are the product of undirected naturalistic evolutionary processes. In the actual world i am writing up this blog post, but i could have decid. The first essay is plantingas reason and belief in god. This belief is thus irrational, since it is selfdefeating.
In his discussion of natural theology arguments to prove the existence of god and natural atheology arguments for the falsehood of theistic belief plantinga focuses on two of the traditional arguments. In doing so, he considers the natural theologians arsenal, the atheologians response, and whether belief in god can be salvaged from the analogy of. What is the force of plantingas properly basic belief argument without the popularity of belief in god. Alston argues that certain christian experiences the presence of god, the moving of the hs, etc. This 1983 text is the most developed exposition and defense of plantingas earlier internalist account of properly basic belief in god. If youre interested in understanding and evaluating plantingas reformed epistemology, this. This splendid shorter rendering of that books proposals makes them accessible to general readers and to students outside the field of philosophy. A study of theological responses to alvin plantingas aquinas. In this book plantinga presents the same ideas in a briefer, much more accessible fashion. Plantinga, belief in god, and religious diversity author. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Knowledge and christian belief alvin plantinga download. Reassessing plantingas ontological argument for god. An incorrigible proposition is one which a person could neither mistakenly believe nor disbelieve.
Dec 03, 2008 we can reason from premises developed from our sense perception only if we and the world we live in were designed to make that possible. He spent nineteen years as a professor at calvin college, then eighteen years at the university of notre dame, and returned to calvin college in 2010. This is one of plantinga s earlier essays on reformed epistemology and is highly recommended. Religious epistemology internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Jun 07, 2010 plantinga on dualism im in the process of writing the next podcast episode on alvin plantinga and his arguments around the idea of belief in god as a properly basic belief. Plantinga evaluates the issue of whether we are rationally justified in believing in god. Catherines college, oxford, one of the questions that preoccupied me was this. Dawkins and daniel dennett whose recent breaking the spell is his contribution to this genre are the touchdown twins of current academic atheism. Belief in god is not properly basic common sense atheism. Themes from richard swinburne, bergmann and brower, eds. In his article in the cambridge companion to atheism, keith parsons attempts to examine some of the contemporary theistic arguments in the philosophy of religion. Plantinga argues that belief in god can, like perceptual or memory belief, be properly basic. But good arguments, on each side, enriche appreciation of issues and understanding of alternatives.
Alvin plantingas reformed epistemology dallas baptist university. In his widely praised warranted christian belief oxford, 2000 alvin plantinga discussed in great depth the question of the rationality, or sensibility, of christian belief. One reason it might be doubted, plantinga tells us, is that a rational person could believe that there is a possible world in which the property of nomaximalitythat is, the property of being such that there is no maximally great beingis exemplified. He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics quotes. Faith and reason from plato to plantinga suny press. May 15, 2017 plantinga says that, what the reformers meant to hold is that it is entirely right, rational, reasonable, and proper to believe in god without any evidence or argument at all this is also plantingas position.
Belief in god is the heart and center of the christian religion as it is of judaism and islam. Reason and belief in god alvin plantinga belief in god is the heart and center of the christian religionas it is. Alvin plantingas the reformed objection to natural. Alvin plantinga and the rationality of theistic belief. Thats the question at the heart of this volume in the great debates in philosophy series, with alvin plantinga and michael tooley each addressing this fundamental question with distinctive arguments from opposing perspectives. The truth of the matter, i believe, is that the proponents of the dds never intended it to be an answer to the questions which concern plantinga in does god have a nature.
Harvey 2008 international journal for philosophy of religion 63. Articles 2016 law, cause, and occasionalism, in reason and faith. Reason and belief in god alvin plantinga and nicholas wolterstorff, editors university of notre. The man who brought belief in god back into the study of philosophy, alvin plantinga, has received the 2017 templeton prize the 84yearold christian philosopher is the latest in a line of. While plantingas stature in the community of christian philosophers alone makes gaining familiarity with this text a good idea for contemporary analytic. Knowledge and christian belief by alvin plantinga a book. Lewis for some, the soul symbolising purity and all. The reformed objection to natural theology by alvin plantinga suppose we think of natural theology as the attempt to prove or demonstrate the existence of god. Reason and belief in god alvin plantinga, nicholas wolterstorff download bok. The philosophical quarterly 61 georgetown university. Basically, plantinga s argument looks at the how god in possible worlds is necessary and uses this. Alvin plantingas properly basic belief religion refuted. Reason and belief in god alvin plantinga belief in god is the heart and center of the christian religion as it is of judaism and islam.
Following alvin plantinga, we will call the claim that belief in god lacks. Nov 30, 2009 professor alvin plantinga is a leading american philosopher, from the university of notre dame, where he is something of an institution having been there since 1982. Plantinga on god, freedom, and evil article pdf available in international journal for philosophy of religion 122. Plantinga reason and belief in god pdf reason and belief in god. Plantinga notes, however, that a basic belief in god is potentially defeasible. Knowledge and christian belief is a shorter, easier version of the same material, and is designed for people who donat.
Knowledge of god edition 1 by alvin plantinga, michael. The ontological argument for gods existence was first laid out in the form we see today by anselm of canterbury 10331109 who was a monk living in. When searching for god, majority opinion counts for little. There is no other debatestyle book in the philosophy of religion that packs the intellectual punches thrown by heavyweights plantinga and tooley. He is especially wellknown for his work in the philosophy of religion. Knowledge and christian belief is a pleasure to read and will serve as an excellent and engaging introduction to plantingas most influential ideas about the rationality of religious belief. It is exciting to see the core ideas of that great work presented here in a more succinct and accessible format. This is one of plantingas earlier essays on reformed epistemology and is highly recommended. Again, i dont take the displayed behavior as evidence. This enterprise has a long and impressive historya history stretching back to the dawn of christendom and boasting. Belief in god is the heart and center of the christian religionas it is of judaism and islam. Of course christians may disagree, at least in em phasis, as to how to think of god. Belief in god is the heart of the christian religion as it is of judaism and islam.
The main thesis of plantingas work is that there are no good objections to the rationality of christian belief unless christianity itself is false. Several writers use the word god very broadly to include belief in any unseen spiritual agencies. In the reformed objection to natural theology, plantinga explains the basics of reformed epistemology. The philosopher of religion, alvin plantinga, in his book warranted christian belief advances a detailed account of the rationality. Plantinga is widely known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics. Jan 08, 20 when searching for god, majority opinion counts for little. Publishers description in his widely praised warranted christian belief oxford, 2000 alvin plantinga discussed in great depth the question of the rationality, or sensibility, of christian belief. They presuppose that god has a nature, that he is sovereign, and that there are necessary truths over which he has no control. In it, im clearly on plantingas side, and i think his work in that area represents a crucial contribution to philosophy of religion and to epistemology. Of course, it could be that plantinga is arguing at a level that is well over my head.
Davis claremont mckenna college alvin plantinga is one of the top christian philosophers in the world today. Alvin plantinga, reason and belief in godhenceforth rbg, in. Suffice it to say that plantinga has in mind suffice it to say that plantinga has in mind an undercutting rationality defeater, that is, a belief the tr uth of which would give a person good cause. If i see someone displaying typical pain behavior, i take it that he or she is in pain. During the last part of his essay plantinga argues that belief in god is properly basic. Is alvin plantinga arguing gods existence based on popularity. As is typically done, we might think of a possible world as a complete way that things might have been.
He says, what reformed thinkers really mean to hold, i think, is that belief in god need not be based on argument or evidence from other propositions at all. The first part of the essay moves through the evidentialist objection to theistic. Matt mccormicks philosophy, csus second lecture on plantingas reformed epistemology. So, it is very interesting to read his thinking on the god delusion. A philosophically serious yet accessible investigation of the rationality of christian belief in his widely praised warranted christian belief oxford, 2000 alvin plantinga discussed in great depth the question of the rationality, or sensibility, of christian belief. Nov 25, 20 alvin plantinga is one of the worlds top christian philosophers. Alvin carl plantinga is an american analytic philosopher, the john a. In doing so, he considers the natural theologians arsenal, the atheologians response, and whether belief in god can be salvaged from the analogy of other minds. Abraham perkins school of theology alvin plantingas warranted christian belief is a landmark book on the rationality of christian belief. Alstons perceiving god and alvin plantingas warrant trilogy. In doing so, he focuses his attention primarily indeed solely on the work. Dec 04, 2009 alvin plantinga, professor of philosophy at the university of notre dame, discusses the reasons for god with simon smart from the centre for public christianity. Alvin plantingas the reformed objection to natural theology.
If you dont know alvin plantinga, his considered by many to be one of the smartest philosophers alive today. Knowledge and christian belief written for, and why did you write it. Alvin plantinga, gods philosopher 3 he resolved to become a philosopher. Why construe belief in god as basic instead of inferred. Alvin carl plantinga born 1932 is an american analytic philosopher who works primarily in the fields of philosophy of religion, epistemology particularly on issues involving epistemic justification, and logic. Plantinga, god has the power to do this without denying freedom. Alvin plantinga, reason and belief in god, in faith and rationality, ed. Plantingas book is a semipopular treatment of the conflicts, real or perceived, between science and religion, broadly construed. Belief in god is not properly basic 477 grasping or understanding the meanings of their terms. He argues that a belief in god can be rational without proofs of gods existence. Obrien professor of philosophy emeritus at the university of notre dame and the inaugural holder of the jellema chair in philosophy at calvin college. Its a dense, rich book full of promising ideas that found fuller statement in the writers later books such as william p.
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