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717Animals, Brains, and SpiritsFaith and Philosophy 12 (4): 567-581. 1995.This paper contains an overview of the significance of dualism for theism and a modal argument for dualism. It concludes with remarks on the relevance of the modal case on behalf of dualism for an intramural materialist quarrel between animalists and brain-identity theorists.
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655Divine and Human Agency from the Standpoint of Historicalism, Scientism, and Phenomenological RealismEuropean Journal for Philosophy of Religion 7 (3): 3--25. 2015.Phenomenological realism, in the tradition of Dietrich von Hildebrand, is advanced as a promising methodology for a theistic philosophy of divine and human agency. Phenomenological realism is defended in contrast to the practice of historicalism -- the view that a philosophy of mind and God should always be done as part of a thoroughgoing history of philosophy, e.g. the use of examples in analytic theology should be subordinated to engaging the work of Kant and other great philosophers. The crit…Read more
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613The Double-Movement Model of Forgiveness in Buddhist and Christian RitualsEuropean Journal for Philosophy of Religion 1 (1). 2009.We offer a model of moral reform and regeneration that involves a wrong-doer making two movements: on the one hand, he identifies with himself as the one who did the act, while he also intentionally moves away from that self (or set of desires and intentions) and moves toward a transformed identity. We see this model at work in the formal practice of contrition and reform in Christian and Buddhist rites. This paper is part of a broader project we are undertaking on the philosophy of forgiveness
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451Thought Experiments in Philosophy of ReligionOpen Theology 3 (1): 167-173. 2017.We present a criterion for the use of thought experiments as a guide to possibilia that bear on important arguments in philosophy of religion. We propose that the more successful thought experiments are closer to the world in terms of phenomenological realism and the values they are intended to track. This proposal is filled out by comparing thought experiments of life after death by Peter van Inwagen and Dean Zimmerman with an idealist thought experiment. In terms of realism and values we contr…Read more
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356Eleonore Stump. Wandering in Darkenss: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering. Oxford University Press, 2010European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 3 (2): 455--459. 2011.
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139Possibilities in the philosophy of mindPhilosophy and Phenomenological Research 57 (1): 127-37. 1997.This paper seeks to overturn the claim that Cartesian arguments for dualism based on the conceivable separation of person and body lack warrant, since it is just as conceivable that persons are identical with their bodies as it is that persons and their bodies are distinct. If the thesis of the paper is cogent, then it is not as easy to imagine person-body identity as many anti-Cartesians suppose
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135A Brief History of the Soul (edited book)Wiley-Blackwell. 2011.This book is a clear and concise history of the soul in western philosophy, from Plato to cutting-edge contemporary work in philosophy of mind. Packed with arguments for and against a range of different, historically significant philosophies of the soul Addresses the essential issues, including mind-body interaction, the causal closure of the physical world, and the philosophical implications of the brain sciences for the soul's existence Includes coverage of theories from key figures, such as P…Read more
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99A Companion to Philosophy of Religion (edited book)Wiley-Blackwell. 1997.In 85 new and updated essays, this comprehensive volume provides an authoritative guide to the philosophy of religion. Includes contributions from established philosophers and rising stars 22 new entries have now been added, and all material from the previous edition has been updated and reorganized Broad coverage spans the areas of world religions, theism, atheism,, the problem of evil, science and religion, and ethics
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88Testimony, Evidence, and Wisdom in Today’s Philosophy of ReligionTeaching Philosophy 34 (2): 105-118. 2011.In philosophy of religion, when, if ever, is it better to philosophically engage one another as advocates of competing religions (or secular naturalism) as opposed to conducting a more detached philosophical investigation of each other’s actual religious convictions? We offer a narrative overview of a philosophy of religion seminar we participated in, highlighting questions about the possibility of even understanding persons of different religions and considering when, if ever, one’s own religio…Read more
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87Consciousness and the Mind of GodCambridge University Press. 1994.This work addresses the challenge of contemporary materialism for thinking about God. The book examines contemporary theories of consciousness and defends a non-materialist theory of persons, subjectivity and God. A version of dualism is articulated that seeks to avoid the fragmented outlook of most dualist theories. Dualism is often considered to be inadequate both philosophically and ethically, and is seen as a chief cause of denigrating the body and of promoting individualism and scepticism. …Read more
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81The virtues of embodimentPhilosophy 76 (1): 111-125. 2001.Surprisingly, materialists and dualists often appeal to the same factors in their depiction of being an embodied, human person: sensations, agency, and causal underpinnings. I propose that this picture be expanded to include epistemic, structural, and affective components. I further propose that these elements, taken together, be construed as virtues. Being an embodied, human person consists in the exercise of six types of virtues: Sensory Virtues, the Virtue of Agency, Constitutional Virtues, E…Read more
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80When Should Philosophers Be Silent?Philosophy 87 (2): 163-187. 2012.Are there general precepts governing when philosophers should not conduct inquiry on a given topic? When, if ever, should a philosopher just be silent? In this paper we look at a number of practical, epistemic, and moral arguments for philosophical silence. Some are quite general, and suggest that it is best never to engage in philosophical inquiry, while others are more domain - or context - specific. We argue that these arguments fail to establish their conclusions. We do, however, try to iden…Read more
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73Nagel’s Vista or Taking Suhjectivity SeriouslySouthern Journal of Philosophy 26 (3): 393-401. 1988.
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69Contemporary Philosophy of ReligionWiley-Blackwell. 1997.This volume provides a vivid and engaging introduction to contemporary philosophy of religion.
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65On dedicationsAnalysis 71 (4): 620-627. 2011.What is it to dedicate a thing or event to some person or thing? In the spirit of—and using the same techniques as—J.L. Austin, we advance an analysis of the practice of dedications. We propose that dedicating is an intentional activity involving reverence and honour. We identify the different ways a dedication can go awry and highlight the values that explain why dedications have merit (e.g. they can involve an honorable, evident self-subordination of the donator to the recipient and also bring…Read more
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62Abstract Objects and Causation: Bringing Causation Back Into Contemporary PlatonismRevista Portuguesa de Filosofia 71 (4): 769-780. 2015.Resumo O autor defenderá, por um lado, a existência dos objectos abstractos e, por outro, o seu papel causal, numa ontologia platónica, tal como enquadrada por Roderick Chisholm. Se plausível, a natureza e o papel dos abstracta sob a forma de estados de coisas, oferecem-nos razões para acreditar em uma descrição bem-sucedida e explicativa da intencionalidade humana e animal que não está encerrada no mundo físico. Palavras-chave : causalidade, encerramento causal, fisicalismo, objectos abstractos…Read more
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62The Vanity of GodFaith and Philosophy 6 (2): 140-154. 1989.Christian theism gives rise to what may be termed the problem of Divine vanity. The God of Christianity seems to be vain with respect to matters of creation, worship, and redemption. God’s creating beings in His own image is akin to an artist creating self-portraits. The Divine command (or invitation) that these image-bearers worship Him seems to be the height of egotism. In matters of redemption, God still insists upon being in the limelight, the talk of the town. This prima donna God does not …Read more
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59The Passibility of GodReligious Studies 25 (2). 1989.John Dewey once said of philosophical problems that they are quite different from old soldiers. Not only do they never die, but they do not even fade away. Something similar might be said about the unfavourable Divine attributes of the 1950s and 60s, timelessness or eternity, necessary existence, foreknowledge of creaturely free choices, and immutability. All have contemporary defenders. Even the puzzling, traditional tenet that God is metaphysically simple now has formidable apologists. Perhaps…Read more
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57The perils of subjectivityInquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 40 (4): 475-480. 1997.
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54The Routledge Companion to Theism (edited book)Routledge. 2012.There are deep and pervasive disagreements today in universities and colleges, and popular culture in general, over the credibility and value of belief in God. This has given rise to an urgent need for a balanced, comprehensive, accessible resource book that can inform the public and scholarly debate over theism. While scholars with as diverse interests as Daniel Dennett, Terry Eagleton, Richard Dawkins, Jürgen Habermas, and Rowan Williams have recently contributed books to this debate, "theism"…Read more
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53Possibilities in Philosophy of MindPhilosophy and Phenomenological Research 57 (1): 127-137. 1997.This paper seeks to overturn the claim that Cartesian arguments for dualism based on the conceivable separation of person and body lack warrant, since it is just as conceivable that persons are identical with their bodies as it is that persons and their bodies are distinct. If the thesis of the paper is cogent, then it is not as easy to imagine person-body identity as many anti-Cartesians suppose.
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47Hume’s Racism and His Case against the MiraculousPhilosophia Christi 4 (2). 2002.Hume’s case against the reliability of reports of intelligent Blacks is analogous to his case against the reliability of reports of miracles
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47The Cambridge companion to Christian philosophical theology (edited book)Cambridge University Press. 2010.The sixteen chapters, commissioned specially for this volume, are written by an internationally recognized team of scholars and examine topics such as the Trinity, God's necessary existence, simplicity, omnipotence, omniscience, ...
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Areas of Interest
Philosophy of Mind |
Philosophy of Religion |