William P. Alston's Books

Divine Nature and Human Language

Essays in Philosophical Theology

By: William P. Alston

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Divine Nature and Human Language

Essays in Philosophical Theology

By: William P. Alston

Divine Nature and Human Language is a collection of twelve essays in philosophical theology by William P. Alston, one of the leading figures in the current renaissance in the philosophy of religion. Using the equipment of contemporary analytical philosophy, Alston explores, partly refashions, and defends a largely traditional conception of God and His work in the world a conception that finds its origins in medieval philosophical theology. These essays fall into two groups: those concerned with theological language (Part 1 of the volume) and those that deal with the nature, status, and activity of God (Parts II and HI). In Part 1, Alston develops a conceptual scheme for discussing the topic of theological language. He also argues that there is a core of literal talk about God and even a core of predicates univocally applicable to God and creatures. Furthermore, he shows that God can be referred to directly as well as descriptively. In Parts II and III, the author sketches out a middle way between a classical conception of God exemplified by Aquinas and the more recent “process” or “panentheist” conception exemplified by Hartshorne. Alston argues that such a God can act so as to have real effects in the world and can enter into genuine dialogue and otherwise interact with human beings. In addition, he defends the idea that God provides a foundation for morality. The first collection of Alston's ground breaking work in the philosophy of religion, Divine Nature and Human Language will be welcomed by scholars and students of the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, theology, and religious studies.

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295

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Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1725283190

ISBN 13

9781725283190

Perceiving God

The Epistemology of Religious Experience

By: William P. Alston

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Perceiving God

The Epistemology of Religious Experience

By: William P. Alston

In Perceiving God, William P. Alston offers a clear and provocative account of the epistemology of religious experience. He argues that the "perception of God"—his term for direct experiential awareness of God—makes a major contribution to the grounds of religious belief. Surveying the variety of reported direct experiences of God among laypersons and famous mystics, Alston demonstrates that a person can be justified in holding certain beliefs about God on the basis of mystical experience. Through the perception that God is sustaining one in being, for example, one can justifiably believe that God is indeed sustaining one in being. Alston offers a detailed discussion of our grounds for taking sense perception and other sources of belief—including introspection, memory, and mystical experience—to be reliable and to confer justification. He then uses this epistemic framework to explain how our perceptual beliefs about God can be justified. Alston carefully addresses objections to his chief claims, including problems posed by non-Christian religious traditions. He also examines the way in which mystical perception fits into the larger picture of grounds for religious belief. Suggesting that religious experience, rather than being a purely subjective phenomenon, has real cognitive value, Perceiving God will spark intense debate and will be indispensable reading for those interested in philosophy of religion, epistemology, and philosophy of mind, as well as for theologians.

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335

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801471257

ISBN 13

9780801471254

Perspectives on the Philosophy of William P. Alston

By: Heather D. Battaly,Michael Patrick Lynch

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Perspectives on the Philosophy of William P. Alston

By: Heather D. Battaly,Michael Patrick Lynch

One of the most influential analytic philosophers of the late twentieth century, William P. Alston is a leading light in epistemology, philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of language. In this volume, twelve leading philosophers critically discuss the central topics of his work in these areas, including perception, epistemic circularity, justification, the problem of religious diversity, and truth. Together with Alston's vigorous responses, these articles make significant new contributions to the literature and will be of interest to a wide range of philosophers and students. In addition, the volume contains a comprehensive introduction and overview of Alston's work and a complete bibliography of his publications

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332

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Published Date

ISBN 10

0742514242

ISBN 13

9780742514249

Unapologetic Theology

A Christian Voice in a Pluralistic Conversation

By: William Carl Placher

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Unapologetic Theology

A Christian Voice in a Pluralistic Conversation

By: William Carl Placher

In Unapologetic Theology, William Placher examines religion and the search for truth in a pluralistic society. Among the issues he considers are science and its relation to belief, dialogue among various religions, and the theological method.

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188

Publisher

Westminster John Knox Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0664250645

ISBN 13

9780664250645

A Realist Conception of Truth

By: William P. Alston

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A Realist Conception of Truth

By: William P. Alston

One of the most important Anglo-American philosophers of our time here joins the current philosophical debate about the nature of truth. William P. Alston formulates and defends a realist conception of truth, which he calls alethic realism (from "aletheia," Greek for truth). This idea holds that the truth value of a statement (belief or proposition) depends on whether what the statement is about is as the statement says it is. Michael Dummett and Hilary Putnam are two of the prominent and widely influential contemporary philosophers whose anti-realist ideas Alston attacks.

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290

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501720554

ISBN 13

9781501720550

The Evidential Argument from Evil

By: William L. Rowe,Paul Draper,Richard Swinburne,Eleonore Stump,Alvin Plantinga,William P. Alston,Stephen J. Wykstra,Peter van Inwagen,Bruce Russell,Richard M. Gale

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The Evidential Argument from Evil

By: William L. Rowe,Paul Draper,Richard Swinburne,Eleonore Stump,Alvin Plantinga,William P. Alston,Stephen J. Wykstra,Peter van Inwagen,Bruce Russell,Richard M. Gale

Is evil evidence against the existence of God? A collection of essays by philosophers, theologians, and other scholars. Even if God and evil are compatible, it remains hotly contested whether evil renders belief in God unreasonable. The Evidential Argument from Evil presents five classic statements on this issue by eminent philosophers and theologians, and places them in dialogue with eleven original essays reflecting new thinking by these and other scholars. The volume focuses on two versions of the argument. The first affirms that there is no reason for God to permit either certain specific horrors or the variety and profusion of undeserved suffering. The second asserts that pleasure and pain, given their biological role, are better explained by hypotheses other than theism. Contributors include William P. Alston, Paul Draper, Richard M. Gale, Daniel Howard-Snyder, Alvin Plantinga, William L. Rowe, Bruce Russell, Eleonore Stump, Richard G. Swinburne, Peter van Inwagen, and Stephen John Wykstra.

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Page Count

380

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253114098

ISBN 13

9780253114099

Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning

By: William P. Alston

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Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning

By: William P. Alston

What is it for a sentence to have a certain meaning? This is the question that the distinguished analytic philosopher William P. Alston addresses in this major contribution to the philosophy of language. His answer focuses on the given sentence's potential to play the role that its speaker had in mind, what he terms the usability of the sentence to perform the illocutionary act intended by its speaker. Alston defines an illocutionary act as an act of saying something with a certain "content." He develops his account of what it is to perform such acts in terms of taking responsibility, in uttering a sentence, for the existence of certain conditions. In requesting someone to open a window, for example, the speaker takes responsibility for its being the case that the window is closed and that the speaker has an interest in its being opened. In Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning, Alston expands upon this concept, creating a framework of five categories of illocutionary act and going on to argue that sentence meaning is fundamentally a matter of illocutionary act potential; that is, for a sentence to have a particular meaning is for it to be usable to perform illocutionary acts of a certain type. In providing detailed and explicit patterns of analysis for the whole range of illocutionary acts, Alston makes a unique contribution to the field of philosophy of language—one that is likely to generate debate for years to come.

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344

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Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501700421

ISBN 13

9781501700422

Do Numbers Exist?

A Debate about Abstract Objects

By: Peter van Inwagen,William Lane Craig

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Do Numbers Exist?

A Debate about Abstract Objects

By: Peter van Inwagen,William Lane Craig

In Do Numbers Exist? Peter van Inwagen and William Lane Craig take opposite sides on whether there are abstract objects, such as numbers and properties. Craig argues that there are no abstract objects, whereas Van Inwagen argues that there are. Their exchange explores various arguments about the existence and nature of abstract objects. They focus especially on whether our ordinary and scientific thought and talk commit us to abstract objects, surveying the options available to us and the objections each faces. The debate covers central problems and methods in metaphysics, and also delves into theological questions raised by abstract objects. Key Features: Showcases the presentation and defense of two points of view on the existence of abstract objects, from two of the world’s leading philosophers Presents definitions in an easily accessible form Provides frequent summaries of previously covered material Includes a glossary of all specialized vocabulary

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299

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Date

ISBN 10

1000938298

ISBN 13

9781000938296

Beyond "Justification"

Dimensions of Epistemic Evaluation

By: William P. Alston

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Beyond "Justification"

Dimensions of Epistemic Evaluation

By: William P. Alston

Much of the writing in Anglo-American epistemology in the twentieth century focused on the conditions for beliefs being "justified." In a book that seeks to shift the ground of debate within theory of knowledge, William P. Alston finds that the century-long search for a correct account of the nature and conditions of epistemic justification misses the point. Alston calls for that search to be suspended and for talk of epistemic justification to cease. He proposes instead an approach to the epistemology of belief that focuses on the evaluation of various "epistemic desiderata" that may be satisfied by beliefs.Alston finds that features of belief that are desirable for the goals of cognition include having an adequate basis, being formed in a reliable way, and coherence within bodies of belief. In Alston's view, a belief's being based on an adequate ground and its being formed in a reliable way, though often treated as competing accounts of justification, are virtually identical. Beyond "Justification" also contains discussions of fundamental questions about the epistemic status of principles and beliefs and appropriate responses to various kinds of skepticism.

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276

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Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501720570

ISBN 13

9781501720574

Divine Nature and Human Language

Essays in Philosophical Theology

By: William P. Alston

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Divine Nature and Human Language

Essays in Philosophical Theology

By: William P. Alston

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295

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Wipf and Stock Publishers

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ISBN 10

1725283190

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9781725283190

Perceiving God

The Epistemology of Religious Experience

By: William P. Alston

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Perceiving God

The Epistemology of Religious Experience

By: William P. Alston

In this clear and provocative account of the epistemology of religious experience, William P. Alston argues that the perception of God—his term for direct experiential awareness of God—makes a major contribution to the grounds of religious belief. Surveying the variety of reported direct experiences of God, Alston demonstrates that a person can be justified in holding certain beliefs about God on the basis of mystical experience.

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340

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Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801471249

ISBN 13

9780801471247

Epistemic Justification

Essays in the Theory of Knowledge

By: William P. Alston

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Epistemic Justification

Essays in the Theory of Knowledge

By: William P. Alston

Epistemic Justification collects twelve distinguished and influential essays in epistemology by William P. Alston taken from a body of work spanning almost two decades. They represent the gradual development of Alston's thought in epistemology.He concentrates on topics that are central to contemporary epistemology and provides a much-needed and useful map to these issues be explicitly distinguishing and interrelating concepts of justification used in epistemology. More important, he develops and defends his own distinctive epistemic view throughout the volume. Notably, he argues for an account of justification that combines both internalist and externalist features. In addition, he discusses various forms of foundationalism and supports a moderate form. Finally, Alston demonstrates that the epistemic circularity that often plagues our attempts to validate our basic sources of belief does not prevent our showing that they are reliable sources of knowledge.

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376

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

080149544X

ISBN 13

9780801495441

Epistemic Justification

Essays in the Theory of Knowledge

By: William P. Alston

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Epistemic Justification

Essays in the Theory of Knowledge

By: William P. Alston

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376

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Cornell University Press

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ISBN 10

080149544X

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9780801495441

Divine Agency and Divine Action

By: William James Abraham

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Divine Agency and Divine Action

By: William James Abraham

Divine Agency and Divine Action, Volume I lays the groundwork for a constructive contribution to the contemporary debate regarding divine action. Noted scholar William J. Abraham argues that the concept of divine action is not a closed concept--like knowledge--but an open concept with a variety of context-dependent meanings. This volume charts the history of debate about divine action among key Anglophone philosophers of religion, and observes that they were largely committed to this erroneous understanding of divine action as a closed concept. After developing an argument that divine action should be understood as an open, fluid concept, Abraham engages the work of William Alston, Process metaphysics, quantum physics, analytic Thomist philosophy of religion, and the theology of Kathryn Tanner. Abraham argues that divine action as an open concept must be shaped by distinctly theological considerations, and thus all future work on divine action among philosophers of religion must change to accord with this vision. Only deep engagement with the Christian theological tradition will remedy the problems ailing contemporary discourse on divine action.

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242

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0198786506

ISBN 13

9780198786504

William L. Rowe on Philosophy of Religion

Selected Writings

By: William L. Rowe,Nick Trakakis

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William L. Rowe on Philosophy of Religion

Selected Writings

By: William L. Rowe,Nick Trakakis

William Rowe is one of the leading thinkers in contemporary philosophy of religion. Although he is best known for his contributions to the problem of evil, he has produced innovative and influential work across a wide array of subjects at the interface between philosophy and religion. He has, for example, written extensively on the existentialist theologian, Paul Tillich, on the challenging problem of divine freedom, and on the traditional arguments in support of the existence of God. His work in these areas is distinguished by its clarity, rigour, originality, and sensitivity towards the claims of his theistic opponents. Indeed, Rowe's work has played a pivotal role in the remarkable revival of analytic philosophy of religion since the 1970s. The present collection brings together for the first time Rowe's most significant contributions to the philosophy of religion. This diverse but representative selection of Rowe's writings will provide students, professional scholars as well as general readers with stimulating and accessible discussions on such topics as the philosophical theology of Paul Tillich, the problem of evil, divine freedom, arguments for the existence of God, religious experience, life after death, and religious pluralism.

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451

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

135187280X

ISBN 13

9781351872805

Book's by William P. Alston

Divine Nature and Human Language

Divine Nature and Human Language

Perceiving God

Perceiving God

Perspectives on the Philosophy of William P. Alston

Perspectives on the Philosophy of William P. Alston

Unapologetic Theology

Unapologetic Theology

A Realist Conception of Truth

A Realist Conception of Truth

The Evidential Argument from Evil

The Evidential Argument from Evil

Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning

Illocutionary Acts and Sentence Meaning

Do Numbers Exist?

Do Numbers Exist?

Beyond "Justification"

Beyond "Justification"

Divine Nature and Human Language

Divine Nature and Human Language

Perceiving God

Perceiving God

Epistemic Justification

Epistemic Justification

Epistemic Justification

Epistemic Justification

Divine Agency and Divine Action

Divine Agency and Divine Action

William L. Rowe on Philosophy of Religion

William L. Rowe on Philosophy of Religion

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