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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-two 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.
List of contents
1. Religious Language Introduction
Introduction to Ayer
A. J. Ayer, 'Critique of Theology' (selection from Language, Truth and Logic ch. 6) Commentary on Ayer
Introduction to Berkeley
George Berkeley, 'Alciphron' (selection from the seventh dialogue) Commentary on Berkeley Introduction to Putnam
Hilary Putnam, 'Wittgenstein on Religious Language' (selection from Renewing Philosophy ch. 7-8) Commentary on Putnam
Introduction to Alston
William Alston, 'Referring to God' Commentary on Alston
2. Arguments about the Existence of God
Introduction
Introduction to Anselm
Anselm, Proslogion: The Ontological Argument Commentary on Anselm
Introduction to Aquinas
Aquinas, Summa Theologica: First Way, Third Way Commentary on Aquinas
Introduction to Pascal
Blaise Pascal, Pensées: The Wager Commentary on Pascal
Introduction to Paley
William Paley, 'Natural Theology' (selection) Commentary on Paley
Introduction to Hume
David Hume, 'Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion' (selection) Commentary on Hume Introduction to Everitt Nicholas Everitt, 'Teleological Arguments' (selection from The Non-Existence of God, ch. 5) Commentary on Everitt
Introduction to Mackie
John Leslie Mackie, 'Evil and Omnipotence' Commentary on Mackie
Introduction to Rowe
William Rowe, 'The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism' Commentary on Rowe
3. Evidence, Argument and Belief in God
Introduction to New
Christopher New, 'Antitheism' Commentary on New
Introduction to Clifford
William Clifford, 'The Ethics of Belief' Commentary on Clifford
Introduction to James
William James, 'The Will to Believe' Commentary on James
Introduction to Plantinga
Alvin Plantinga, 'Is Belief in God Properly Basic?' Commentary on Plantinga
Introduction to Rey
Georges Rey, 'Meta-Atheism: Religious Avowal as Self-Deception' Commentary on Rey
4. Divine Attributes
Introduction to Boethius
Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy (selection) Commentary on Boethius
Introduction to Savage
B Wade Savage, 'The Paradox of the Stone' Commentary on Savage
Introduction to Pike
Nelson Pike, 'Divine Omniscience and Voluntary Action' Commentary on Pike
Introduction to Kretzmann
Norman Kretzmann, 'Abraham, Isaac and Euthyphro: God and the Basis of Morality' Commentary on Kretzmann
5. Religious Diversity
Introduction
Introduction to Hick
John Hick, The Interpretation of Religion (selection) Commentary on Hick
Introduction to Plantinga
Alvin Plantinga, 'Pluralism: A Defense of Religious Exclusivism' (selection) Commentary on Plantinga
About 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.
Summary
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.
