Both have argued that there is a profound connection between what and how we know and what there is, such that one cannot do good epistemology without delving deeply into ontology. Although there are a number of good books in analytic philosophy dealing with modality the concepts of necessity and possibility, this one is of sufficient clarity and. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the nature of necessity clarendon library of logic and philosophy. However, plantinga, in a speech given at azusa pacific university, describes himself as a calv. There is a possible world w in which there exists a being with maximal greatness. This seminar will focus on the metaphysics of modality. The argument is developed by means of the notion of.
The author develops the notion of possible worlds, discusses the question of transwrold identity and the. His family is from the dutch province of friesland, they lived on a relatively low income until he secured a teaching job in michigan in 1941. Alvin plantinga has 32 books on goodreads with 877 ratings. Although plantinga cannot remember ever not having been convinced. The book draws upon the authors prior works, the nature of necessity and god and other minds. The nature of necessity by alvin plantinga book 64 editions published between 1974 and 2010 in 3 languages and held by 448. Plantinga s argument is a defense against the logical problem of evil as formulated by the philosopher j. The nature of necessity clarendon library of logic and. Alvin plantinga, does god have a nature milwaukee, wi, 1980, p. An introduction to the thought of alvin plantinga crossway. His alignment with the views of atheist activists richard dawkins, christopher hitchens, and sam harris led hitchens to dub their cohort the four horsemen of. Plantinga, was then a graduate student in philosophy. The nature of necessity and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
The nature of necessity by alvin plantinga, 1974 online. Alvin plantinga the nature of necessity pdf this book, one of the first fulllength studies of the modalities to emerge from the debate to which saul kripke, david lewis, ruth marcus, and. Alvin plantingas most popular book is god, freedom, and evil. Our reading will comprise many of the contemporary classics in the field of analytic metaphysics. Alvin met his wife, kathleen, during their days at calvin. The compatibility of calvinism and middle knowledge john d. Now god can create free creatures, but he cant cause or determine them to do only what is right. Biola university center for christian thought presents guest speaker dr. See alvin plantinga, the nature of necessity oxford.
Reassessing plantingas ontological argument for god. The nature of necessity, together with a series of subsequent articles, constitutes what is. For much of the book i felt like i was up against a. Apr 25, 2017 in 1980, time magazine called alvin plantinga the leading protestant philosopher of god. Publication date 1974 topics modality logic, essentialism philosophy, necessity philosophy, good and evil. T his is a collection of philosophical papers by alvin plantinga. Against materialism alvin plantinga materialism is the idea that human beings are material objectsbrains, per haps, or some part of the brainwithout immaterial selves or souls. See my accidental necessity and logical determinism, the journal of philosophy 80 1983. In 1980, time magazine lauded alvin plantinga for his vigorous intellectual defense of god. The nature of necessity 9780198244141 by alvin plantinga. Alvin carl plantinga born 1932 is an american analytic philosopher who works primarily in the. Following alvin plantinga, i take a state of affairs s to be maximal just in case for any state of affairs s, s either includes s or precludes s 6.
Plantingas approach to an explanation of coherentism hberhaupt is to compare it to foundationalism p. In one paper entitled god evil, and the metaphysics of freedom, plantinga argues convincingly that it is possible that god cannot create every logically possible world and thus, contra mackie. William lane craig considers alvin plantinga s version of the ontological argument as having the best chance of being cogent wlc 2004, p. Plantingas father was a firstgeneration immigrant, born in the netherlands. Alvin plantinga and the revival of religious philosophy. It is center stage nowboth in anglomerican philosophy, and on the continent, where antirealism runs rife among the hermeneutical epigoni of eidegger. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Themes from richard swinburne, bergmann and brower, eds. He wants to show that if it is even possible that god, so thought of, exists, then it is true and necessarily true that he does. Necessity circumscribed the distinction between necessary and contingent truth is as easy to recognize as it is difficult to explain to the sceptics satisfaction. Alvin carl plantinga born november 15, 1932 is an american philosopher and holder of the jellema chair in philosophy at calvin college. In nature of necessity, plantinga explains the use of possible worlds philosophy. Alvin plantinga is professor of philosophy at the university of notre dame, and is thought by many to be the most interesting philosopher of religion writing today.
Their two sons, carl plantinga and william harry plantinga, are professors at calvin college, and their two daughters are in christian ministryjane plantinga pauw is pastor of ranier beach presbyterian church in seattle. God, freedom and evil is a short work, originally published in the mid1970s, wherein plantinga addresses issues pertaining to the existence of god. Articles 2016 law, cause, and occasionalism, in reason and faith. Alvin plantinga, called by time magazine americas leading orthodox protestant philosopher of god, has had a profound impact on the philosophical discipline.
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 s freewill defense is a logical argument developed by the american analytic philosopher alvin plantinga and published in its final version in his 1977 book god, freedom, and evil. Books by alvin plantinga author of god, freedom, and evil. On occasions when paul is aurally appeare tod3 in that churchbell kind of way, he is able to form the belief that he is appeared to orangely.
It is one of the first fulllength studies of the modalities to emerge from the debate to which saul kripke, david lewis, ruth marcus and others have contributed. The nature of necessity clarendon library of logic and philosophy kindle edition by plantinga, alvin. How to be an antirealist proceedings and addresses of the. Alvin plantinga swings around kants object by showing how necessity is a property, and that existence is not. Plantinga is widely known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics. For much of the book i felt like i was up against a level 97 boss, and im only at level 70. Plantinga examines where this conflict is said to existlooking at areas such as evolution, divine action in the world, and the scientific study of religionand he considers claims by. Alvin plantinga hand, it is narrower than that of causal or natural necessity. Plantinga on the free will defense hugh lafollette. Clarendon press 1974 authors alvin plantinga university of notre dame abstract this book, one of the first fulllength.
First of all, coherentism, unlike foundationalism, affirms the necessity of circular reasoning. However there is a way to show plantingas ontological argument is. Obrien professor of philosophy emeritus at the university of notre dame, and the inaugural holder of the jellema chair in philosophy at calvin college plantinga is widely known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics. The nature of necessity clarendon library of logic. But in the course of developing those points, oppy lays out exceptionally clear summaries of positions plantinga has taken, beginning with god and other minds 1967, continuing through god, freedom, and evil 1974 and the nature of necessity 1974, then on to reason and belief in god 1983, the prospects for natural theology 1991, and. Such a comparison provides at least two significant differences. The metaphysics of modality university of kentucky.
He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics. Professor plantinga, in your new book, warranted christian belief, you. Plantinga develops his argument by means of the notion of possible worlds and ranges over such key problems as the nature of essence, transworld identity, negative existential propositions, and the existence of unactual objects in other possible worlds. Plantinga on the free will defense 125 tological proof, the atheist can, as even plantinga admits, successfully revise 2 to say. Content and natural selection alvin plantinga university of notre dame say that metaphysical naturalism cah it n is the idea, roughly, that there is no such person as god or anything at all hke godor if there is, this being plays no causal role in the worlds transactions. The nature of necessity alvin plantinga oxford university. Alvin plantinga, gods philosopher 3 he resolved to become a philosopher. This book gathers in one place plantinga s most important work in the philosophy of religion generally and his contribution to the resurgence in christian philosophy in particular.
I was bornnovember 15, 1932 in ann arbor, michigan, where my father, cornelius a. Mackies argument that theism is logically inconsistent in a series of famous papers collected in his the nature of necessity. Plantinga 216 this should sound somewhat like hartshorne. A longawaited major statement by preeminent analytic philosopher alvin plantinga, where the conflict really lies illuminates one of our societys biggest debates the conflict between science and religion. Necessity just means that if something exists, it exists in all possible worlds. The main wikipedia page on molinism lists plantinga as one of its molinisms best known advocates. He is the author of god and other minds, 1967, the nature of necessity. He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics and christian apologetics quotes. Alvin plantinga, existence, necessity, and god philpapers. Plantinga edited faith and philosophy, 1964, and the ontological argument, 1965. A critique of the plantinga version of the modal ontological. Plantingas nature of necessity is a philosophical masterpiece. We might summarize his version presented in the nature of necessity and elsewhere as follows.
Consider paul, an avowed kantian who has determined to edi cogt hi s nitive nature, demonstrating his autonomy from natural tendencies. Alvin plantinga, in the ninth chapter ofthe nature of necessity, sets out a defence of the free will defence fwd2. Half a dozen or so ontological or metaphysical arguments. Moore, necessity, property, proposition alvin plantinga 1. He is the author of numerous books including god and other minds, the nature of necessity, and a trilogy of books on epistemology, culminating in warranted christian belief. The author develops the notion of possible worlds, discusses the question of transwrold identity and the nature of individuals, and considers the problem of. It is one of the first fulllength studies of the modalities to emerge from the debate to which saul kripke, david lewis, ruth marcus he also applies his logical theories to the elucidation of two problems in the philosophy of religion. Plantingas proper function account argues that as a necessary condition of. The above is extreme nominalism and plantinga rightly argues that it is absurd. Alvin plantinga in his book the nature of necessity. Alvin carl plantinga is an american analytic philosopher, the john a.
A tabular comparison of the 1646 westminster confession, the 1658 savoy declaration of faith, the 16771689 london baptist confession and the 1742 philadelphia confession. He is the author of numerous books including god and other minds 1967, the nature of necessity 1974, and a trilogy of books on epistemology, culminating in warranted christian belief 2000. Alvin plantinga calvin college the dispute between realism and antirealism has been centerstage in western philosophy ever since kants alleged copernican evolution. If you want to get a better sense of the recent revival of religious philosophy, you might consider my recently published readings in the philosophy of religion third edition broadview press.
In nature of necessity, plantinga explains the use of possible worlds. The author develops the notion of possible worlds, discusses the question of transwrold identity and the nature of individuals, and considers the. Voltaire once swam the atlantic for example is surely implausible indeed, there is a clear sense in which it is impossible. Daniel hill asked him all about his longawaited new book. But even plantinga acknowledges in the nature of necessity pdf file. Eighteenth century intellectuals as distinguished from dol phins simply lacked the physical equipment for this kind of feat. This was, at least in large part, due to the influence of positivism on the philosophical terrain. In the first three chapters, i clarify and defend the distinction between. If knowledge then god james anderson 2 necessity and historical success of natural theology.
Plantingas defence of the free will defence in chapter nine of the. Plantinga s approach to an explanation of coherentism hberhaupt is to compare it to foundationalism p. Obrien professor of philosophy emeritus at the university of notre dame and the inaugural holder of the jellema chair in philosophy at calvin college. 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. Plantinga, alvin professor of philosophy, university of notre dame. Pdf on a new logical problem of evil in advance researchgate. Clarendon press 1974 authors alvin plantinga university of notre dame abstract this book, one of the first fulllength studies of the modalities to emerge from the debate to which saul kripke, david lewis, ruth marcus, and others are contributing, is an exploration and defense of the notion of. Jellema chair of philosophy at calvin college, and was. Plantinga wants to hold that god is a necessarily existent being, the atheist does not need 7. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Famously claimed that the probability of life arising on earth by purely natural. During this period plantingas work centers on a defense of the rationality of religious belief in the book god and other minds, general metaphysics and philosophy of religion in the nature of necessity, and the longstanding conundrum of the existence of evil in a world where god is omnipotent in the nature of. Some of plantinga s most influential works including god and other minds 1967, the nature of necessity 1974, and a trilogy of books on epistemology, culminating in warranted christian belief 2000 that was simplified in knowledge and christian belief 2016.
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