Philosophy of Religion Selected Readings

by Peterson, Michael; Hasker, William; Reichenbach, Bruce; Basinger, David

• ISBN13: 9780195188295
• ISBN10: 0195188292
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-06
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The new edition of this perennially popular anthology in the philosophy of religion examines both basic classical concepts and a host of contemporary issues. Organized into fourteen thematic sections, Philosophy of Religion presents seventy-three selections that cover standardsubjects--religious experience, theistic arguments, the problem of evil, and miracles--as well as more recent topics including reformed epistemology, process theism, the kalam theological argument, the religion-science controversy, religious ethics, and the diversity of world religions. The thirdedition adds two new sections--on the ontological status of religion and open theism--along with helpful study questions and a glossary. It also features revised and expanded section introductions and updated suggestions for further reading. While it deals primarily with the Western and analytic traditions in philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Third Edition, also incorporates readings representing continental, feminist, and Asian perspectives. New selections include essays by Marilyn McCord Adams, Robert Merrihew Adams, DavidBasinger, Emile Durkheim, C. Stephen Evans, J. R. Lucas, Bruce Reichenbach, and Jean-Paul Sartre. An ideal stand-alone textbook for courses in the philosophy of religion, this volume is also readily compatible for use as a primary source reader in conjunction with a secondary text. It is a perfectcompanion to the editors' textbook, Reason and Religious Belief, Third Edition, as the two books share the same topical organization.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION: Exploring the Philosophy of Religion	1	(4)
PART ONE THE NATURE OF RELIGION	5	(24)
RELIGION AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON	8	(5)
Emile Durkheim
A DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS REALISM	13	(7)
Roger Trigg
THE MEANING OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IS THEIR USE	20	(8)
D.Z. Phillips
SUGGESTED READING	28	(1)
PART TWO RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE	29	(60)
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES	32	(3)
Saint Teresa of Jesus
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AS THE ROOT OF RELIGION	35	(10)
William James
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AS PERCEPTION OF GOD	45	(9)
William P. Alston
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES AS INTERPRETATIVE ACCOUNTS	54	(11)
Wayne Proudfoot
CRITIQUE OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE	65	(14)
Michael Martin
A PHENOMENOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE	79	(8)
Merold Westphal
SUGGESTED READING	87	(2)
PART THREE FAITH AND REASON	89	(42)
THE HARMONY OF REASON AND REVELATION	92	(4)
Thomas Aquinas
THE HARMONY OF PHILOSOPHY AND THE QUR'AN	96	(5)
Ibn Rushd
THE WAGER	101	(3)
Blaise Pascal
THE ETHICS OF BELIEF	104	(6)
William Clifford
THE WILL TO BELIEVE	110	(8)
William James
TRUTH IS SUBJECTIVITY	118	(5)
Soren Kierkegaard
CRITICAL DIALOG IN PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION	123	(7)
C. Stephen Evans
SUGGESTED READING	130	(1)
PART FOUR THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES	131	(42)
GOD'S NECESSARY EXISTENCE	133	(5)
John Hick
NEGATIVE THEOLOGY	138	(5)
Moses Maimonides
GOD IS OMNIPOTENT	143	(3)
Thomas Aquinas
SOME PUZZLES CONCERNING OMNIPOTENCE	146	(3)
George I. Mavrodes
DIVINE OMNISCIENCE AND VOLUNTARY ACTION	149	(6)
Nelson Pike
GOD IS TIMELESS	155	(4)
Boethius
GOD IS EVERLASTING	159	(9)
Nicholas Wolterstorff
ATMAN IS BRAHMAN	168	(2)
The Upanishads
SUGGESTED READING	170	(3)
PART FIVE ARGUMENTS ABOUT GOD'S EXISTENCE	173	(86)
THE CLASSICAL ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	176	(2)
Saint Anselm
CRITIQUE OF ANSELM'S ARGUMENT	178	(3)
Gaunilo
A CONTEMPORARY MODAL VERSION OF THE ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	181	(13)
Alvin Plantinga
THE CLASSICAL COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	194	(3)
Thomas Aquinas
THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	197	(13)
Bruce Reichenbach
THE KALAM COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	210	(13)
William Lane Craig
CRITIQUE OF THE COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	223	(9)
J.L. Mackie
THE ANALOGICAL TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	232	(3)
William Paley
THE ANTHROPIC TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT	235	(11)
L. Stafford Betty with Bruce Cordell
MORAL ARGUMENTS FOR GOD'S EXISTENCE	246	(10)
Robert Merrihew Adams
SUGGESTED READING	256	(3)
PART SIX KNOWING GOD WITHOUT ARGUMENTS	259	(30)
THE REFORMED OBJECTION TO NATURAL THEOLOGY	261	(12)
Alvin Plantinga
EXPERIENCE, PROPER BASICALITY, AND BELIEF IN GOD	273	(7)
Robert Pargetter
THE CASE OF THE INTELLECTUALLY SOPHISTICATED THEIST	280	(6)
William Hasker
SUGGESTED READING	286	(3)
PART SEVEN THE PROBLEM OF EVIL	289	(90)
EVIL IS PRIVATION OF GOOD	292	(4)
Saint Augustine
EVIL MAKES A STRONG CASE AGAINST GOD'S EXISTENCE	296	(8)
David Hume
EVIL AND OMNIPOTENCE	304	(11)
J.L. Mackie
THE FREE WILL DEFENSE	315	(26)
Alvin Plantinga
SOUL-MAKING THEODICY	341	(13)
John Hick
THE EVIDENTIAL ARGUMENT FROM EVIL	354	(11)
William Rowe
HORRENDOUS EVILS AND THE GOODNESS OF GOD	365	(11)
Marilyn McCord Adams
SUGGESTED READING	376	(3)
PART EIGHT DIVINE ACTION	379	(46)
PROVIDENCE—RISKY OR RISK-FREE?	382	(11)
Paul Helm
MIDDLE KNOWLEDGE AND CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN THOUGHT	393	(9)
David Basinger
AN OBJECTION TO MIDDLE KNOWLEDGE	402	(5)
Robert Merrihew Adams
THE VULNERABILITY OF GOD	407	(9)
J.R. Lucas
GOD IS CREATIVE-RESPONSIVE LOVE	416	(7)
John B. Cobb and David Ray Griffin
SUGGESTED READING	423	(2)
PART NINE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE	425	(46)
THE DOCTRINE OF ANALOGY	427	(3)
Thomas Aquinas
THE FALSIFICATION DEBATE	430	(5)
Antony Flew and Basil Mitchell
RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE AS SYMBOLIC	435	(6)
Paul Tillich
SEXISM AND GOD-TALK	441	(6)
Rosemary Radford Ruether
SPEAKING LITERALLY OF GOD	447	(20)
William P. Alston
THE TRUE TAO IS UNSPEAKABLE	467	(1)
Lao Tsu
SUGGESTED READING	468	(3)
PART TEN MIRACLES	471	(26)
THE EVIDENCE FOR MIRACLES IS WEAK	473	(8)
David Hume
MIRACLES AND HISTORICAL EVIDENCE	481	(7)
Richard Swinburne
MIRACLES AND TESTIMONY	488	(8)
J.L. Mackie
SUGGESTED READING	496	(1)
PART ELEVEN LIFE AFTER DEATH	497	(50)
THE SOUL SURVIVES AND FUNCTIONS AFTER DEATH	500	(10)
H.H. Price
THE SOUL NEEDS A BRAIN TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION	510	(11)
Richard Swinburne
PROBLEMS WITH ACCOUNTS OF LIFE AFTER DEATH	521	(8)
Linda Badham
RESURRECTION OF THE PERSON	529	(10)
John Hick
REBIRTH	539	(6)
Sri Aurobindo
SUGGESTED READING	545	(2)
PART TWELVE RELIGION AND SCIENCE	547	(34)
TWO SEPARATE DOMAINS	549	(10)
Stephen Jay Gould
SCIENCE DISCREDITS RELIGION	559	(4)
Richard Dawkins
THEOLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY	563	(17)
Nancey Murphy
SUGGESTED READING	580	(1)
PART THIRTEEN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY	581	(38)
BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGIONS	584	(4)
Dalai Lama
THE UNIQUENESS OF RELIGIOUS DOCTRINES	588	(9)
Paul J. Griffiths
RELIGIOUS INCLUSIVISM	597	(10)
Karl Rahner
RELIGIOUS PLURALISM	607	(10)
John Hick
SUGGESTED READING	617	(2)
PART FOURTEEN RELIGION AND MORALITY	619	(25)
WHICH GOD OUGHT WE TO OBEY?	621	(8)
Alasdair MacIntyre
ETHICS WITHOUT RELIGION	629	(10)
Jean-Paul Sartre
ETHICS AND NATURAL LAW	639	(3)
Thomas Aquinas
SUGGESTED READING	642	(2)
GLOSSARY	644