Aquinas's Philosophy of Religion

by O'Grady, Paul

• ISBN13: 9780230285170
• ISBN10: 0230285171
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2014-11-04
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

Paul O'Grady's study provides an in-depth analysis of Aquinas's contribution to the philosophy of religion. It begins by situating him within that discipline and potential objections to such an enterprise are examined. Aquinas's contexts are then discussed – historical, biographical and conceptual. Aquinas's views on philosophy and theology, and faith and reason are assessed. Three arguments for the existence of God are explored in detail – the argument from motion, the argument from contingency and the argument to design. His responses to the problem of evil and the challenge of naturalism are covered. His negative approach to God's nature is discussed, including his views on divine simplicity and eternity, which, it is argued, are distinctive and theoretically fruitful. Then his positive account of divine goodness, knowledge and power is explored, as well as the linguistic issues which arise from attempting to talk about God.

Author Biography

Paul O'Grady is a lecturer in philosophy and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He previously taught at St Catherine's College Oxford, UK. He teaches epistemology and philosophy of religion and has published widely in these areas, including Relativism (2002) and, as editor, The Consolations of Philosophy: Reflections in an Economic Downturn (2011). He is also a Gestalt psychotherapist.

Table of Contents

Preface
List of Abbreviations
Conventions in referring to Aquinas's work
1. Philosophy and Theology
2. Aquinas's Conceptual Scheme
3. Reason and Faith
4. Arguments for God's Existence
5. Objections to God's Existence
6. God's Nature: The Way of Negation
7. God's Nature: The Way of Eminence
Bibliography
Index