The Naturalness of Belief: New Essays on Theism’s Rationality
Ebook
Overview
Despite its name, “naturalism” as a world-view turns out to be rather unnatural in its strict and more consistent form of materialism and determinism. This is why a number of naturalists opt for a broadened version that includes objective moral values, intrinsic human dignity, consciousness, beauty, personal agency, and the like. But in doing so, broad naturalism begins to look more like theism. As many strict naturalists recognize, broad naturalism must borrow from the metaphysical resources of a theistic world-view, in which such features are very natural, common sensical, and quite “at home” in a theistic framework.
The Naturalness of Belief begins with a naturalistic philosopher’s own perspective of naturalism and naturalness. The remaining chapters take a multifaceted approach in showing theism’s naturalness and greater explanatory power. They examine not only rational reasons for theism’s ability to account for consciousness, intentionality, beauty, human dignity, free will, rationality, and knowledge; they also look at common sensical, existential, psychological, and cultural reasons—in addition to the insights of the cognitive science of religion.
2/9/20 - The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter posted an excerpt and a short notice about the book. Link: https://worldviewbulletin.substack.com/p/useful-things-february-9-2020
Contents
Introduction
Part I
The Unnaturalness of Naturalism?
1. Naturalism and Naturalness: A Naturalist’s Perspective
Graham Oppy
Part II
Foundational Considerations
2. Is Naturalism Natural?
Charles Taliaferro
3. The Contraction and Expansion of Naturalism and the Theistic Challenge
Charles Taliaferro
4. Taking Philosophical Naturalism Seriously
R. Scott Smith
Part III
Theistic Belief, Science, and Naturalism
5. In What Sense Might Religion Be Natural?
Justin Barrett and Aku Visala
6. Science, Methodological Naturalism, and Question-Begging
Robert Larmer
Part IV
Axiology and Naturalism
7. Alienating Humanity: How Evolutionary Ethics Undermines Human Rights
Angus Menuge
8. Divine Commands, Duties, and Euthyphro: Theism and Naturalist Misunderstandings
Matthew Flannagan
9. Beauty: A Troubling Reality for the Scientific Naturalist
R. Douglas Geivett and James Spiegel
Part V
Naturalism and Existential Considerations
10. Existential Arguments for Theistic Belief
Clifford Williams
11. Psychological Factors Contributing to Atheism: Bad Father Relationships and Just Bad Relationships as in Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Paul C. Vitz
12. The Cultural Implications of Theism versus Naturalism
Paul Copan and Jeremiah J. Johnston
Part VI
Naturalism, Freedom, and Immortality
13. Theism, Robust Naturalism, and Robust Libertarian Free Will
J.P. Moreland
14. Naturalism, Theism, and Afterlife Beliefs
Jonathan Loose
These fourteen original, cutting-edge essays are an admirable contribution to one of the most important questions of our time: is theism or naturalism the more natural, fitting worldview? For anyone interested in that question, this book is a must-read.
This fine new book on naturalism and theism offers new perspectives on this debate from a wide-ranging set of perspectives, ranging from morality to aesthetics to psychology and philosophy of mind. The essays are first-rate, and the arguments presented are powerful. This book ought to unsettle those who take a naturalistic worldview as somehow just a "common sense" view that is supported by science. Naturalism turns out to be a profoundly unnatural view of reality.
This fresh collection of essays on the naturalness of theistic belief is a philosophical feast. Crafted by leading thinkers tackling a plethora of related topics, this book engages with the most recent arguments and evidences from philosophy, physics, cognitive science, psychology, and other disciplines. It will be an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in grappling with the fundamental issue of whether belief in God is natural and reasonable.
Product Details
- Title : The Naturalness of Belief: New Essays on Theism’s Rationality
- Authors:
- Copan, Paul
- Taliaferro, Charles
- Williams, Clifford
- Vitz, Paul C.
- Visala, Aku
- Taliaferro, Charles
- Spiegel, James S.
- Smith, Ronald Scott
- Oppy, Graham
- Moreland, J.P.
- Menuge, Angus
- Loose, Jonathan J.
- Johnston, Jeremiah J.
- Flannagan, Matthew
- Copan, Paul
- Barrett, Justin L.
- Larmer, Robert
- Publisher: Lexington Books
- Publication Date: 2018
- ISBN: 9781498579919
Paul Copan is professor and Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Charles Taliaferro is professor of philosophy at St. Olaf College.