Translatio: Scotus’s Lectura Proof of the Existence of God

[Preliminary notes: 1. The translation below is at times extremely wooden and clunky; this is because I have tried to translate as literally as possible. For clarification on a particular phrase or section, leave a comment below. 2. In the … Continue reading Translatio: Scotus’s Lectura Proof of the Existence of God

The Agony Argument and the Privation Theory of Evil: A Response to Watkins

I. Intro Benjamin Watkins of Real Atheology has presented what he calls “the Agony Argument” (which appears to draw its inspiration from Parfit’s famous Agony Argument) as an objection to a traditional privation theory of evil. It goes as follows: … Continue reading The Agony Argument and the Privation Theory of Evil: A Response to Watkins

Is God Personal? Aquinas’s Arguments for the Divine Intellect

Most adherents of monotheistic faiths hold that God — whatever else this name may designate — is a reality that is in some sense “personal.” Consider the opening verses of the first chapter of Genesis, a text which has had … Continue reading Is God Personal? Aquinas’s Arguments for the Divine Intellect

Yandell’s Presentation and Analysis of the First Way

Keith E. Yandell was a respected philosopher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 2011. He specialized in the philosophy of religion, and wrote the philosophy of religion volume for the Routledge Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy series (which I highly … Continue reading Yandell’s Presentation and Analysis of the First Way

What is Existence? Aquinas’s Argument for Existence as Act

The question of what existence is/means is a controversial one in philosophy. In the last few centuries, the debate has largely centered around the question of whether existence is a predicate or property, especially in relation to ontological arguments for … Continue reading What is Existence? Aquinas’s Argument for Existence as Act