Logic Matters 2008-04-06

Philosophy of Religion 9: Theistic arguments

Chapter 5 of the Murray/Rea Introduction is called "Theistic arguments". They start off -- perhaps rather too predictably -- by considering at length the tricksy argument which philosophy of religion courses seem to get obsessed with, but which (at least in my experience) has the least to do with the actual reasons real-world believers give for their beliefs. That's our old friend the ontological argument, of course.Murray and Rea have no trouble in kicking into touch a classical version of the argument (their p. 129-130 is exemplary). Though they are a bit feeble earlier when talking about the existence-isn't-a-property objection. For they just don't mention how you might try to make sense of what is going with that objection by linking existence talk to the existential quantifier, etc. (an odd omission, as the intended readers' intro logic lecturer has probably ...

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