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God, Probability and Life after Death reveals its objective in its title, namely, to present an exploratory argument concerning the probability of human resurrection. The exploratory argument follows a probabilistic passage along an evidential trail to the discovery of the probability of life after death. It is a trail that the reader can personally engage with in order to reach their own conclusion and even introduce additional evidence they think relevant.
The argument begins with the probability of the existence of God, and once a position is established on this issue, the argument becomes empowered for the next stage, which is to address the evidence for human resurrection, namely, the Resurrection of Jesus, near-death experiences and apparitions.
The probabilistic relationship between the evidence and the resurrection hypothesis is critically examined throughout the book by engaging the potential views of an atheist and agnostic in addition to that of a theist. On this probabilistic journey, other issues relevant to the resurrection argument are introduced, such as personal identity and the possibility of resurrection given the nature of our world. Evidence and argument for a non-supernatural possibility for human resurrection are also considered.
Significantly, the author does not assume the normal spiritual approach to human resurrection, when a disembodied soul leaves the body to continue a spiritual existence in a ghostly realm. Instead, a materialistic approach is taken, whereby the resurrected person survives in bodily form in a physical realm.
The use of probability theory is intended to keep the evidential argument within the bounds of coherent reasoning. It also enables the argument to link one piece of evidence to the next in a probabilistic sequence that eventually leads to the conclusion that human resurrection is not only possible, it is also very likely.
List of contents
Introduction
PART I: Divine Chance: God and Probability Theory
Chapter 1: Who's God? Divine Quintessence
Chapter 2: A Sporting Chance: Probability
PART II: Under Starter's Orders: Evidence for God
Chapter 3: They're Off: Evidence from Divine Creation
Chapter 4: The bookie's Favourite: The Problem of Evil
Chapter 5: A Short Head: Evidence from the Divine/Human Relationship
PART III: The Winning Post: The Chances of Human Resurrection
Chapter 6: A Dark Horse: Person-identity
Chapter 7: The Field: The Possibility of Resurrection
Chapter 8: Home Straight: The Probability of Resurrection
Stewards' Enquiry: Conclusion
Appendix 1: The Auxiliary Assumption Requirement
Appendix 2: Overdetermination of Evidence
About the author
The author has lived his seventy years in Gloucester and has an abiding affection for the River Severn and the surrounding Gloucestershire countryside which he oft frequented as a lad and still does today. This sense of location and history along with past anecdotal country talk overheard in Severn-side country pubs gave the author inspiration to write such a story, which otherwise would not have been possible.
Summary
This book explores the probability of human resurrection based upon the existence of God and a set of evidential elements, namely, the Resurrection of Jesus, near-death experiences, and apparitions. William Hunt's argument employs subjective probability theory using Bayes' theorem in a cumulative process.
