Overview

When it comes to contemporary philosophical problems, metaphysical idealism—or Berkeleyan immaterialism—is not taken seriously by most philosophers, not to mention the typical Christian layperson. This state of affairs deserves some attempt at rectification, since Idealism has considerable explanatory power as a metaphysical thesis and provides numerous practical and theoretical benefits. Such thinkers as George Berkeley and Jonathan Edwards believed that Idealism is especially amenable to a Christian perspective, both because it provides a plausible way of conceptualizing the world from a theistic standpoint and because it effectively addresses skeptical challenges to the Christian faith. The contributors to this volume explore a variety of ways in which the case can be made for this claim, including potential solutions to philosophical problems related to the nature of time, the ontology of physical objects, the mind-body problem, and the nature of science.

Full Product Details

Author:   Professor Steven B. Cowan (Louisiana College, USA) ,  Professor James S. Spiegel (Taylor University in Indiana, USA)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.10cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.467kg
ISBN:  

9781628924060

ISBN 10:   1628924063
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   25 February 2016
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Introduction: Idealism and Christian Philosophy Steven B. Cowan (Lincoln Memorial University, USA) and James S. Spiegel (Taylor University, USA) 1. Idealism and the Reasonableness of Theism James S. Spiegel (Taylor University, USA) 2. Idealism and the Nature of Truth Gregory E. Trickett (Weatherford College, USA) 3. What Is that Stone? Idealism and Particulars Steven B. Cowan (Lincoln Memorial University, USA) 4. Idealism and Perception: Why Berkeleyan Idealism is Not as Counterintuitive as it Seems Howard Robinson (Central European University, Hungary) 5. Idealism and the Mind-Body Problem Charles Taliaferro (St. Olaf College, USA) 6. Idealism and the Nature of God Adam Groza (Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) 7. God, Idealism, and Time: A Berkeleyan Approach to Old Questions Benjamin H. Arbour (University of Bristol, UK) 8. Idealism and Science Douglas Blount (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) 9. Immaterialism, Miracles, and the Laws of Nature Marc A. Hight (Hampden-Sydney College, USA) 10. What’s the Point? Idealism and the Moral Life Keith Ward (Heythrop College, UK) Notes on Contributors Index

Reviews

The 'Idealism and Christianity' series is the first of its kind, an inauguration of a rich conversation in metaphysics that manages to be coherent, insightful, and accessible to students and professors alike. Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies The chief benefit Berkeley saw in his idealism was its ability to make vivid the immediate and all-pervasive presence of God in our lives. Yet this aspect of his thought has remained strangely neglected. Cowan and Spiegel's Idealism and Christian Philosophy brings together an array of first-rate, original essays by some of the people best able to explore this rich topic. It's an invaluable collection for anyone looking to better understand the relationship between immaterialism and theism. John R. Roberts, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University, USA

The chief benefit Berkeley saw in his idealism was its ability to make vivid the immediate and all-pervasive presence of God in our lives. Yet this aspect of his thought has remained strangely neglected. Cowan and Spiegel's Idealism and Christian Philosophy brings together an array of first-rate, original essays by some of the people best able to explore this rich topic. It's an invaluable collection for anyone looking to better understand the relationship between immaterialism and theism. John R. Roberts, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University, USA

Author Information

James S. Spiegel is a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, USA. His books include The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy (2010), Faith, Film, and Philosophy (2007), Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices (1999), and the award-winning How to be Good in a World Gone Bad (2004). Steven B. Cowan is the Jim Young Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Louisiana College, USA. He is the editor of Five Views on Apologetics (2000) and Who Runs the Church? Four Views on Church Government (2004) and co-author (with James Spiegel) of The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy (2010).

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