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God and Evidence: Problems for Theistic Philosophers
Author(s): Rob Lovering (Author)
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Publication Date: 20 Jun. 2013
- Language: English
- Print length: 152 pages
- ISBN-10: 1441149430
- ISBN-13: 9781441149435
Book Description
God and Evidence presents a new set of compelling problems for theistic philosophers. The problems pertain to three types of theistic philosopher, which Lovering defines here as ‘theistic inferentialists,’ ‘theistic non-inferentialists,’ and ‘theistic fideists.’ Theistic inferentialists believe that God exists, that there is inferential probabilifying evidence of God’s existence, and that this evidence is discoverable not simply in principle but in practice. Theistic non-inferentialists believe that God exists, that there is non-inferential probabilifying evidence of God’s existence, and that this evidence is discoverable not simply in principle but in practice. Theistic fideists believe that God exists, that there is no discoverable probabilifying evidence (inferential or non-inferential) of God’s existence, and that it is nevertheless acceptable-morally if not otherwise-to have faith that God exists. Lovering argues that each type of theistic philosopher faces a problem unique to his type and that they all share two particular problems. Some of these problems take us down an entirely new discursive path; others down a new discursive path branching off from an old one.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The main body of the book provides a very good introduction to the problems that theists have to face in understanding the relationship of their theism to evidence: the problems are nicely set up; the questions Lovering poses are the right ones to pose; the criticisms he levels against the variety of answers he considers are cogent even if?due to the breadth of coverage he is aiming for?they are seldom conclusive. Like all good books, then, it gets one thinking.” —The Journal of Theological Studies
About the Author
Rob Lovering is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/City University of New York, USA.
