Consciousness and the Existence of God: A Theistic Argument

by J.P. Moreland

Overview

In Consciousness and the Existence of God, J.P. Moreland argues that the existence of finite, irreducible consciousness (or its regular, law-like correlation with physical states) provides evidence for the existence of God. Moreover, he analyzes and criticizes the top representative of rival approaches to explaining the origin of consciousness, including John Searle’s contingent correlation, Timothy O’Connor’s emergent necessitation, Colin McGinn’s mysterian ‘‘naturalism,’’ David Skrbina’s panpsychism and Philip Clayton’s pluralistic emergentist monism. Moreland concludes that these approaches should be rejected in favor of what he calls ‘‘the Argument from Consciousness.’’

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135896782
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/26/2010
Series:	Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	504 KB

About the Author

J.P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Biola University. He has published over 60 articles in journals that include Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical Quarterly, Australasian Journal of Philosophy and Metaphilosophy. He has authored, edited or contributed to thirty-five books including Universals (McGill-Queen’s), Naturalism: A Critical Analysis (Routledge) and Does God Exist? (Prometheus).

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter One: The Epistemic Backdrop for Locating Consciousness in a Naturalist Ontology

Chapter Two: The Argument from Consciousness

Chapter Three: John Searle and Contingent Correlation

Chapter Four: Timothy O’Connor and Emergent Necessitation

Chapter Five: Colin McGinn and Mysterian "Naturalism"

Chapter Six: David Skrbina and Panpsychism

Chapter Seven: Philip Clayton and Pluralistic Emergentist Monism

Chapter Eight: Science and Strong Physicalism

Chapter Nine: AC, Dualism and the Fear of God

Notes

Bibliography

Index