God, Evil and Design (eBook)

An Introduction to the Philosophical Issues

David K. O'Connor (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2009 | 1. Auflage
240 Seiten
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-4443-0129-8 (ISBN)

Infos

Although vast and complex, the universe is orderly in many ways,
and conditions at its beginning were right for the eventual
evolution of life on this planet. But with life there is death, and
with sentient life there is great pain and suffering, often with no
apparent justification or purpose. Taking these things together, is
it reasonable to conclude that the universe was brought about by
God? Moreover, does the magnitude of seemingly pointless suffering
square with the idea that God exists, or is it good reason to think
there is no God? These questions come up for many people, not just
religious believers, and are examined in this engaging and
thought-provoking book.

Starting out with no pre-disposition to theism, atheism, or
agnosticism, God, Evil, and Design takes up these
questions in order to see where an impartial investigation leads.
To achieve impartiality, the reader is invited to simulate
ignorance insofar as his or her own religious preference is
concerned. With this approach, God, Evil, and Design
provides both a fresh look at important and controversial issues in
philosophy and an excellent introduction to the contemporary
debates surrounding them. Lively and non-technical, this book will
be accessible to anyone with an interest in these topics.

Autor

David O'Connor is Professor of Philosophy at Seton Hall University, and the author of three books, including Hume on Religion (2001), God and Inscrutable Evil (1998) and The Metaphysics of G.E. Moore (1982).

Inhalt

Preface.

Part I: Introduction:.

1. What We Are Going to Investigate and How.

2. Terminology.

Part II: The Logic of God and Evil:.

3. Is the Existence of God Impossible?.

4. A Free-Will Defense of the Possibility that God Exists.

Part III: Design and Evil:.

5. Natural Order, Natural Selection, and Supernatural Design
(1).

6. Natural Order, Natural Selection, and Supernatural Design
(2).

Part IV: Evil and Design (1):.

7. Is the Existence of God Improbable?.

8. Skeptical Defenses.

9. Evaluating Skeptical Defenses.

Part V: Evil and Design (2).

10. Greater-Good Defenses.

11. Evaluating Greater-Good Defenses.

Part VI: Taking Stock:.

12. Taking Stock.

Index

Rezensionen

"O'Connor's book is written as an introduction
to the topic, and is therefore easily readable."
(The Heythrop Journal, 5 December 2014)
"O'Connor's book ranks with the very best of the
many introductions to the philosophy of religion that have been
published over the past several decades. His selection and
discussion of two main topics, the problem of evil, and the
apparent design of the universe, convey especially well the
importance of the question of God's existence." Quentin
Smith, Western Michigan University

"This is a very clear and unusually objective examination
of the problem of evil and its interface with the design argument.
For those tired of theistic or atheistic apologetics masquerading
as philosophy of religion, this book is highly recommended."
Paul Draper, Purdue University

"David O'Connor's God, Evil, and Design is a remarkably
accessible opinionated introduction to the issues. His critique of
skepticism about arguments from evil will be of interest to
professionals as well. Highly recommended." Daniel
Howard-Snyder, Western Washington University

"It is aimed at the beginner, but is also of interest to more
advanced readers." Times Higher Education Supplement

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 26.1.2009
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie
• Schlagworte: Philosophie • Philosophy • Philosophy of Religion • Religion & Theology • Religionsphilosophie • Religion u. Theologie • Theologie • Theology
• ISBN-10: 1-4443-0129-2 / 1444301292
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4443-0129-8 / 9781444301298