The nature of God : an inquiry into divine attributes / Edward R. Wierenga.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wierenga, Edward R., 1947-

Series:

Cornell studies in the philosophy of religion

Cornell studies in the philosophy of religion.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

God--Attributes.

God.

Physical Description:

xii, 238 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca : Cornell University Press, 1989.

Summary:

The Nature of God explores a perennial problem in the philosophy of religion. Drawing upon developments in philosophy, most notably those in philosophical logic, Edward R. Wierenga examines the traditional divine attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, timelessness, immutability, and goodness. His philosophically defensible formulations of the nature of God are in accord with the views of classical theists. The author provides an account of each of the divine attributes by stating in contemporary terms what such classical theists as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas wrote about the nature of God; he then seeks to determine whether one can defend the ascription of traditional divine attributes to God against philosophical objections. Clearly written and comprehensive, The Nature of God contains a wealth of illuminating and original material on a central topic in the philosophy of religion.

Contents:

1 Divine Attributes 1

2 Some Metaphysical Assumptions 6

3 Modality 7

4 Possible Worlds, Essential Properties, and Essences 9

1 Omnipotence 12

1 The Problem 12

2 Conditions on Omnipotence 14

3 Initial Segments and Strong Actualization 18

4 A Definition of Omnipotence 25

5 Two Objections 27

6 The Paradox of the Stone 29

7 Atemporal Omnipotence 33

2 Omniscience 36

1 Defining Omniscience 36

2 Some Complications 38

3 Incorrigibility and Essential Omniscience 39

4 De Dicto et De Re 41

5 De Re et De Se 46

6 Some Objections 53

3 Foreknowledge, Free Will, and the Necessity of the Past 59

1 Foreknowledge and Free Will 59

2 Foreknowledge and Accidental Necessity 64

3 The Assumption Restated 71

4 Freedom and the Ability to Do Otherwise 74

4 Accidental Necessity 86

1 Foreknowledge and Fatalism 86

2 Accidental Necessity 90

3 Another Formal Approach 100

4 A Final Formal Approach 104

5 Accidental Necessity and Ability 108

6 Incompatibilism and Divine Timelessness 113

5 Omniscience, Free Will, and Middle Knowledge 116

1 Middle Knowledge 116

2 Creation, Actualization, and Providence 119

3 Evil and the Free Will Defense 126

4 The Doctrine of Middle Knowledge 133

5 The No Grounds Objection 140

6 Acting out of Character 143

7 The Not True Soon Enough Objection 148

8 Another No Grounds Objection 150

9 Alternatives to Middle Knowledge 160

6 Eternity, Timelessness, and Immutability 166

1 Eternity, Timelessness, and Immutability 166

2 Some Reservations 172

3 Temporal Indexicals and Immutability 175

4 Some Objections 183

5 An Alternative Account of Omniscience 186

6 Divine Action and Immutability 191

7 Divine Goodness and Impeccability 202

1 Perfectly Good 202

2 Goodness and Omnipotence 204

3 Goodness and Freedom 207

4 Impeccability and Praiseworthiness 211

8 The Source of Moral Obligation 213

1 God and Morality 213

2 The Divine Command Theory 215

3 Divine Commands and Divine Will 217

4 Some Objections 219

5 Utilitarianism and the Divine Command Theory 232.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0801422124

OCLC:

18463544