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Graham Oppy

Monash University
  •  Home
  •  Publications
    253
    • Most Recent
    • Most Downloaded
    • Topics
  •  Events
    12
  •  News and Updates
    108
  •  Philosophical Views

 More details
  • Monash University
    Department of Philosophy
    Regular Faculty
Princeton University
Department of Philosophy
PhD, 1990
Email (login required)
Homepage
0000-0003-0453-2250
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Religion
Areas of Interest
Epistemology
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Language
  • All publications (253)
  •  785
    From physics to philosophy. Jeremy buttereld, Constantine Pagonis (review)
    Mind 110 (439): 732-736. 2001.
    This is a review of *From Physics to Philosophy* (edited by Jeremy Butterfield and Constantine Pagonis).
    Quantum Theories, MiscInterpretation of Quantum MechanicsPhilosophy of Physics, MiscQuantum Nonlocal…Read more
    Quantum Theories, MiscInterpretation of Quantum MechanicsPhilosophy of Physics, MiscQuantum NonlocalityThermodynamics and Statistical MechanicsPhilosophy of Physics, General WorksQuantum Mechanics, Miscellaneous
  •  1230
    “Uncaused Beginnings” Revisited
    Faith and Philosophy 32 (2): 205-210. 2015.
    This paper is a response to William Lane Craig's criticisms of my previous paper "Uncaused Beginnings". I argue that Craig's criticisms do not inflict any damage on the arguments of that earlier paper.
    Causation, MiscCosmological Arguments for Theism, Misc
  •  889
    Nagel on religion, politics and humanity (review)
    Analysis 70 (3): 562-567. 2010.
    Review of Nagel's book, focusing on the chapters that are specifically concerned with religion.
    Philosophy, MiscellaneousReligion and SocietySocial and Political Philosophy, MiscPhilosophy of Reli…Read more
    Philosophy, MiscellaneousReligion and SocietySocial and Political Philosophy, MiscPhilosophy of Religion, Misc
  •  126
    Makin's Ontological Argument (Again)
    Philosophy 68 (264). 1993.
    This paper is a reply to Stephen Makin's response to my previous criticism of his defense of a conceptual ontological argument. (All relevant bibliographical details are provided in this paper.).
    Anselm's Ontological ArgumentOntological Arguments for Theism, Misc
  •  1662
    Professor William Craig’s Criticisms of Critiques of Kalam Cosmological Arguments By Paul Davies, Stephen Hawking, and Adolf Grunbaum
    Faith and Philosophy 12 (2): 237-250. 1995.
    Kalam cosmological arguments have recently been the subject of criticisms, at least inter alia, by physicists---Paul Davies, Stephen Hawking---and philosophers of science---Adolf Grunbaum. In a series of recent articles, William Craig has attempted to show that these criticisms are “superficial, iII-conceived, and based on misunderstanding.” I argue that, while some of the discussion of Davies and Hawking is not philosophically sophisticated, the points raised by Davies, Hawking and Grunbaum do …Read more
    Kalam cosmological arguments have recently been the subject of criticisms, at least inter alia, by physicists---Paul Davies, Stephen Hawking---and philosophers of science---Adolf Grunbaum. In a series of recent articles, William Craig has attempted to show that these criticisms are “superficial, iII-conceived, and based on misunderstanding.” I argue that, while some of the discussion of Davies and Hawking is not philosophically sophisticated, the points raised by Davies, Hawking and Grunbaum do suffice to undermine the dialectical efficacy of kalam cosmological arguments.
    Cosmological Arguments for Theism, MiscKalam Cosmological Argument
  •  138
    Describing Gods: An Investigation of Divine Attributes
    Cambridge University Press. 2014.
    This book begins with a careful taxonomy of divine attributes. It continues with detailed examinations of: divine infinity; divine simplicity; divine perfection; divine necessity; omnipotence; omniscience; divine goodness; divine beauty; divine fundamentality; divine will; divine freedom; etc.
    Divine Attributes, Misc
  •  853
    Michael Ruse. The Gaia Hypothesis: Science on a Pagan Planet (review)
    Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences 2 (2): 247. 2015.
    Review of Michael Ruse (2015) *The Gaia Hypothesis: Science on a Pagan Planet*
    VitalismLifePhilosophy of Religion, Misc
  •  965
    Maydole on Ontological Arguments
    In Miroslaw Szatkowski (ed.), Ontological Proofs Today, Ontos Verlag. pp. 445-468. 2012.
    This paper is an assessment of Robert Maydole's work on ontological arguments. (Bibliographical details are provided in the text.) I argue that Maydole's ontological arguments are unsuccessful.
    Ontological Arguments for Theism, Misc
  •  928
    Paley’s Argument Revisited: Reply to Schupbach
    Philosophia Christi 10 (2): 443-450. 2008.
    This paper is a reply to Jonah Schupbach's critique of a previous paper of mine on Paley's argument for design. (Bibliographical details for earlier publications are available in the paper.)
    Evolutionary Biology, MiscIntelligent DesignDesign Arguments for Theism, Misc
  •  7
    Inter-Christian Philosophical Dialogues (edited book)
    with Nick Trakakis
    Routledge. 2017.
    This book is a collection of exchanges between Christian philosophers who adopt very different perspectives on Christianity.
    Philosophy of Religion, MiscSpecific Religions, MiscPhilosophy of Religion, General Works
  •  1268
    Semantics for propositional attitude ascriptions
    Philosophical Studies 67 (1). 1992.
    This paper provides a semantics for propositional attitude ascriptions. (In this respect, the title of the paper is quite well chosen.)
    Russellian Theories of Attitude AscriptionsFregean Theories of Attitude Ascriptions
  •  381
    Review of Andrea Weisberger's suffering belief (review)
    Perhaps almost all non-theists will agree that ‘the problem of evil’ has some role in their reasons for rejecting traditional Western theism. When they consult their intuitions, non-theists typically do not find it credible to suppose that this is the kind of world which could have been created by an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good being. Moreover, when they review their reasons for non-belief, non-theists typically find that a catalogue of the amounts and kinds of evils which are to be foun…Read more
    Perhaps almost all non-theists will agree that ‘the problem of evil’ has some role in their reasons for rejecting traditional Western theism. When they consult their intuitions, non-theists typically do not find it credible to suppose that this is the kind of world which could have been created by an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good being. Moreover, when they review their reasons for non-belief, non-theists typically find that a catalogue of the amounts and kinds of evils which are to be found in the world adds some weight to the case against the existence of such a being.
    Religious TopicsThe Argument from Evil
  •  1408
    On some alleged consequences of 'the Hartle-Hawking cosmology'
    Sophia 36 (1): 84-95. 1997.
    In [3], Quentin Smith claims that `the Hartle-Hawking cosmology' is inconsistent with classical theism in a way which redounds to the discredit of classical theism; and, moreover, that the truth of `the Hartle- Hawking cosmology' would undermine reasonsed belief in any other varieties of theism which hold that the universe is created.
    Philosophy of Cosmology, MiscCosmological Arguments for Theism
  •  1746
    Biblical Science? (review)
    Philo 1 (2): 68-78. 1998.
    Short critical review of Gerard Schroeder's *The Science of God*.
    Arguments for Theism, MiscPhilosophy of Religion, MiscScience and Religion
  •  1352
    'The Divine Lawmaker', by John Foster (review)
    Faith and Philosophy 23 (1): 111-16. 2006.
    Short, critical review of John Foster's book *The Divine Lawmaker*
    Philosophy of Religion, MiscDivine OmnipotenceDivine Attributes, MiscLaws of Nature, Misc
  •  1245
    The Creation Hypothesis, ed. J.P. Moreland (review)
    A fairly lengthy book review that appears at the Secular Web. I do not intend to publish it anywhere else.
    Philosophy of Religion, Misc
  •  613
    On an argument about reference to future individuals
    Philosophical Quarterly 45 (178): 84-87. 1995.
    This paper critically examines Roger Teichmann's defence of the claim that it is impossible to refer to future individuals. (Bibliographical details are provided in the article.)
    Reference, MiscTemporal Expressions
  •  7290
    Arguments for atheism
    In Stephen Bullivant & Michael Ruse (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Atheism, Oxford University Press Uk. pp. 53. 2015.
    This paper consider three families of arguments for atheism. First, there are direct arguments for atheism: arguments that theism is meaningless, or incoherent, or logically inconsistent, or impossible, or inconsistent with known fact, of improbable given known fact, or morally repugnant, or the like. Second, there are indirect arguments for atheism: direct arguments for something that entails atheism. Third, there are comparative arguments for atheism: e.g., arguments for the view that (atheist…Read more
    This paper consider three families of arguments for atheism. First, there are direct arguments for atheism: arguments that theism is meaningless, or incoherent, or logically inconsistent, or impossible, or inconsistent with known fact, of improbable given known fact, or morally repugnant, or the like. Second, there are indirect arguments for atheism: direct arguments for something that entails atheism. Third, there are comparative arguments for atheism: e.g., arguments for the view that (atheistic) naturalism is more theoretically virtuous than theism.
    Arguments Against Theism, MiscAtheism and Agnosticism, MiscArguments from Naturalism against TheismA…Read more
    Arguments Against Theism, MiscAtheism and Agnosticism, MiscArguments from Naturalism against TheismAtheism
  •  568
    Review of Owen Anderson, The Clarity of God’s Existence: The Ethics of Belief after the Enlightenment: Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2008, ISBN: 9781556356957, pb, 206 pp (review)
    Sophia 49 (2): 301-308. 2010.
    Ethics of BeliefChristianity, MiscDivine Attributes, MiscRevelationFaithReligious Topics, MiscEpiste…Read more
    Ethics of BeliefChristianity, MiscDivine Attributes, MiscRevelationFaithReligious Topics, MiscEpistemology of Religion, Misc
  •  868
    God and Infinity: Directions for Future Research
    In Michał Heller & W. H. Woodin (eds.), Infinity: new research frontiers, Cambridge University Press. pp. 233. 2011.
    This paper discusses the treatment of "infinity" in philosophy of religion, including its use in discussions of divine attributes, and its use in various arguments about the existence of God (including the kalam cosmological argument and Pascal's wager). The aim of the paper is to set out -- and where possible, to resolve -- various foundational problems about infinity.
    Divine Attributes, MiscPhilosophy of Religion, MiscellaneousKalam Cosmological Argument
  •  430
    Why creationists should learn about evolution: A. Laats and H. Siegel: Teaching evolution in a creation nation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016, viii+128, Cloth: $60.00, $20.00 PB (review)
    Metascience 26 (1): 149-151. 2016.
    Positive review of Laats and Siegel (2016) *Teaching Evolution in a Creation Nation* (University of Chicago Press).
    Philosophy of Religion, MiscEvolutionary Biology, MiscScientific Method, Misc
  •  1927
    Minimalism and truth aptness
    with Michael Smith and Frank Jackson
    Mind 103 (411). 1994.
    This paper, while neutral on questions about the minimality of truth, argues for the non-minimality of truth-aptness.
    Liar ParadoxMinimalism about Truth
  •  3652
    Religious Language Games
    with Nick Trakakis
    In Andrew Moore & Michael Scott (eds.), Realism and Religion: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives, Ashgate. pp. 103-29. 2007.
    This paper is a critique of Witgensteinian approaches to philosophy of religion. In particular, it provides a close critique of the views of D. Z. Phillips.
    Ludwig WittgensteinPhilosophy of Religion, Misc
  •  1247
    Epistemological Foundations for Koons' Cosmological Argument?
    European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 2 (1). 2010.
    Some people -- including the present author -- have proposed and defended alternative restricted causal principles that block Robert Koons’s ’new’ cosmological argument without undermining the intuition that causation is very close to ubiquitous. In "Epistemological Foundations for the Cosmological Argument", Koons argues that any restricted causal principles that are insufficient for the purposes of his cosmological argument cause epistemological collapse into general scepticism. In this paper …Read more
    Some people -- including the present author -- have proposed and defended alternative restricted causal principles that block Robert Koons’s ’new’ cosmological argument without undermining the intuition that causation is very close to ubiquitous. In "Epistemological Foundations for the Cosmological Argument", Koons argues that any restricted causal principles that are insufficient for the purposes of his cosmological argument cause epistemological collapse into general scepticism. In this paper I argue, against Koons, that there is no reason to suppose that my favourite restricted causal principle precipitates epistemological collapse into general scepticism. If we impose the ’same kinds’ of restrictions on causal epistemological principles and on principles of general causation, then we cannot be vulnerable to the kind of argument that Koons develops
    Cosmological Arguments from Regress
  •  1352
    The Shape of Causal Reality: A Naturalistic Adaptation of O’Connor’s Cosmological Argument
    Philosophia Christi 12 (2): 281-288. 2010.
    This paper is a companion to an article that I published in *Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Religion*. The OSPR discusses the third chapter of Tim O'Connor's *Theism and Ultimate Explanation. This paper discusses a range of other issues that are not picked up in the OSPR discussion.
    Cosmological Arguments for Theism, MiscCosmological Arguments from Contingency
  •  905
    More than one flaw: Reply to Millican
    Sophia 46 (3): 295-304. 2007.
    Millican (Mind 113(451):437–476, 2004) claims to have detected ‘the one fatal flaw in Anselm’s ontological argument.’ I argue that there is more than one important flaw in the position defended in Millican (Mind 113(451):437–476, 2004). First, Millican’s reconstruction of Anselm’s argument does serious violence to the original text. Second, Millican’s generalised objection fails to diagnose any flaw in a vast range of ontological arguments. Third, there are independent reasons for thinking that …Read more
    Millican (Mind 113(451):437–476, 2004) claims to have detected ‘the one fatal flaw in Anselm’s ontological argument.’ I argue that there is more than one important flaw in the position defended in Millican (Mind 113(451):437–476, 2004). First, Millican’s reconstruction of Anselm’s argument does serious violence to the original text. Second, Millican’s generalised objection fails to diagnose any flaw in a vast range of ontological arguments. Third, there are independent reasons for thinking that Millican’s generalised objection is unpersuasive.
    Philosophy of ReligionAnselmOntological Arguments for Theism
  •  2918
    Sceptical theism and evidential arguments from evil
    with Michael J. Almeida
    Australasian Journal of Philosophy 81 (4). 2003.
    Sceptical theists--e.g., William Alston and Michael Bergmann--have claimed that considerations concerning human cognitive limitations are alone sufficient to undermine evidential arguments from evil. We argue that, if the considerations deployed by sceptical theists are sufficient to undermine evidential arguments from evil, then those considerations are also sufficient to undermine inferences that play a crucial role in ordinary moral reasoning. If cogent, our argument suffices to discredit sce…Read more
    Sceptical theists--e.g., William Alston and Michael Bergmann--have claimed that considerations concerning human cognitive limitations are alone sufficient to undermine evidential arguments from evil. We argue that, if the considerations deployed by sceptical theists are sufficient to undermine evidential arguments from evil, then those considerations are also sufficient to undermine inferences that play a crucial role in ordinary moral reasoning. If cogent, our argument suffices to discredit sceptical theist responses to evidential arguments from evil.
    Arguments for Theism, MiscThe Argument from Evil
  •  1816
    Pruss's ontological arguments
    Religious Studies 45 (3): 355-363. 2009.
    First, I suggest that it is possible to make some further improvements upon the Gödelian ontological arguments that Pruss develops. Then, I argue that it is possible to parody Pruss's Gödelian ontological arguments in a way that shows that they make no contribution towards 'lowering the probability of atheism and raising the probability of theism'. I conclude with some remarks about ways in which the arguments of this paper can be extended to apply to the whole family of Gödelian ontological arg…Read more
    First, I suggest that it is possible to make some further improvements upon the Gödelian ontological arguments that Pruss develops. Then, I argue that it is possible to parody Pruss's Gödelian ontological arguments in a way that shows that they make no contribution towards 'lowering the probability of atheism and raising the probability of theism'. I conclude with some remarks about ways in which the arguments of this paper can be extended to apply to the whole family of Gödelian ontological arguments.
    Ontological Arguments for Theism, MiscAnselm's Ontological Argument
  •  975
    Can we Describe Possible Circumstances in which we would have Most Reason to Believe that Time is Two‐dimensional?
    Ratio 17 (1): 68-83. 2004.
    This paper investigates the question whether we could have reason to believe that time is two-dimensional. I connect discussion of this question to discussion of the question whether we could have reason to believe that there has been a global time freeze.
    Philosophy of Time, MiscThe Direction of TimeTime TravelTime and Change
  •  1117
    Theism, Atheism, and Big Bang Cosmology (review)
    Faith and Philosophy 13 (1): 125-133. 1996.
    This paper is a critical review of *Big Bang Cosmology* by Quentin Smith and William Lane Craig. (The book is a collection of previously published papers; most are concerned, in one way or another, with kalam cosmological arguments for the existence of God.).
    AtheismKalam Cosmological Argument
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