Philosophy of Religion: The Key Thinkers

Description

Arguments concerning the existence and nature of God have been a staple of western philosophy for over 2,000 years. Philosophy of Religion: The Key Thinkers offers a comprehensive historical overview of this fascinating field. Nine specially commissioned essays introduce and explore the contributions of those philosophers who have shaped the subject and the central issues and arguments therein. The book reconstructs the history of the philosophy of religion, clearly illustrating the most important attempts to address such crucial issues as the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, the problem of evil, miracles, the moral argument, the design argument, religious experience and the idea of god. Thinkers covered include Anselm, Aquinas, Pascal, Hume, Kant, Paley and James. Crucially the book demonstrates why the ideas and arguments these key thinkers developed are still relevant in contemporary thought. Ideal for undergraduate students, the book lays the necessary foundations for a complete and thorough understanding of this fascinating subject.

Jeffrey J. Jordan is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Delaware, USA. His previous publications include Pascal's Wager: Pragmatic Arguments and Belief in God (OUP, 2006), Faith, Freedom and Rationality: Essays in Philosophy of Religion (co-edited with Daniel Howard-Snyder, Rowman & Littlefield, 1996) and Gambling on God: Essays on Pascal's Wager (Rowman & Littlefield, 1994).