The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Religion

by Wainwright, William

• ISBN13: 9780195331356
• ISBN10: 0195331354
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-06-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The philosophy of religion as a distinct discipline is an innovation of the last two hundred years, but its central topics--the existence and nature of the divine, humankind's relation to it, the nature of religion and its place in human life--have been with us since the inception of philosophy. Philosophers have long critically examined the truth of (and rational justification for) religious claims, and have explored such philosophically interesting phenomena as faith, religious experience and the distinctive features of religious discourse. The second half of the twentieth-century has been an especially fruitful period, with philosophers using new developments in logic and epistemology to mount both sophisticated defenses of, and attacks on, religious claims. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Religion contains newly commissioned chapters by 21 prominent experts who cover the field in a comprehensive but accessible manner. Each chapter is expository, critical, and representative of a distinctive viewpoint. The Handbook is divided into two sections. The first, "Problems," covers the most frequently discussed topics, among them arguments for God's existence, the problem of evil, and religious epistemology. The second is called "Approaches" and contains four essays assessing the advantages and disadvantages of different methods of practicing philosophy of religion. The Handbook offers contributors of high stature who present substantive and in-depth treatment of the most central topics. It is a must-have reference for anyone with an interest in philosophy and religion.

Author Biography

William J. Wainwright is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Table of Contents

Contributors

Introduction

Problems

Divine Power, Goodness, and Knowledge

Divine Sovereignty and Aseity

Nontheistic Conceptions of the Divine

The Ontological Argument

Cosmological and Design Arguments

Mysticism and Religious Experience

Pascal's Wagers and James's Will to Believe

The Problem of Evil

Religious Language

Religious Epistemology

God, Science, and Naturalism

Miracles

Faith and Revelation

Morality and Religion

Death and the Afterlife

Religious Diversity: Familiar Problems, Novel Opportunities

Approaches

Analytic Philosophy of Religion

Wittgensteinianism: Logic, Reality, and God

Continental Philosophy of Religion

Feminism and Analytic Philosophy of Religion

Index

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