The Impossibility of GodMichael Martin, Ricki Monnier Most people, believers and nonbelievers alike, are unfamiliar with the variety and force of arguments for the impossibility of God. Yet over recent years a growing number of scholars have been formulating and developing a series of increasingly powerful arguments that the concept of God, as variously understood by the world's major religions and leading theologians, is contradictory in many ways, and therefore God does not and cannot exist. This unique anthology brings together for the first time most of the important arguments for the impossibility of God that have been published. The collection includes papers and book selections by J. L. Mackie, Quentin Smith, Theodore Drange, Michael Martin, and many other distinguished scholars. The editors provide a general introduction and brief summaries of the arguments to help the reader grasp the crucial issues involved. Both students and teachers of philosophy and the philosophy of religion will find this anthology to be an indispensable resource. |
Contents
PREFACE | 11 |
DEFINITIONAL DISPROOFS | 17 |
A Reply to Mr Rainer and Mr Hughes | 27 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
A-ing action affairs agency agent alternative set theories Alvin Plantinga argued attitude attributes believe Cantorian argument Carneades Castañeda causal claim concept consider contingent contradiction create creatures definition disproof divine doctrine entail essential eternal example expressed fact false follows free will defense freedom God's existence Gödel Hector-Neri Castañeda higher consciousness human Ibid immutability incompatible incompatible-properties arguments incompleteness inconsistent indexical infinite intention J. L. Mackie know in knowing knower known Larmer least limited logically impossible logically possible lust and envy means meeting is starting merely mess mind miracle morally perfect necessarily notion objects omnibenevolent omnipotent omnipresent omniscient ontological argument paradox Patrick Grim person Philosophical Plantinga possible worlds predicate premise principle problem of evil properties propositional knowledge propositions question rational reason religious RPTS self-contradictory sense sort suppose Swinburne theist theistic theologians theology theorem things timeless tion true truths universe virtue worship