PHILOSOPHY - Religion: Classical Theism 1 (Two Conceptions of God)

TL;DR

Exploration of classical theism and theistic personalism.

Transcript

(intro music) Hello! My name is Elmar Kremer. I'm a professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Toronto. Today, I'm going to be talking about different philosophical ideas of the nature of god. Philosophers who talk about god usually focus their work on the god of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. But not all philosophers think about this ... Read More

Key Insights

• Classical theism posits that God is fundamentally different from all other entities, existing independently and requiring purification of language when discussing His attributes.
• Theistic personalism views God as a person similar to humans but differing in degree, not kind, with attributes like wisdom being comparable on a scale.
• Classical theists argue that God's creation ex nihilo is unique and not akin to human causation, emphasizing a profound difference in the nature of divine action.
• Theistic personalists, such as Richard Swinburne, suggest that God's creation can be imagined similarly to human actions, though classical theists dispute this analogy.
• The analogy of a person willing a sixth finger to appear is used to critique theistic personalism's view of divine causation, questioning the clarity of such examples.
• St. Thomas Aquinas highlights that terms like 'wise' applied to God and humans differ significantly, requiring an extended meaning when referring to God.
• Classical theists emphasize the dependency of everything on God, contrasting with theistic personalists' interpretation of God's relationship to creation.
• The video sets the stage for an argument in favor of classical theism, indicating a deeper exploration of its philosophical underpinnings.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the main differences between classical theism and theistic personalism?

Classical theism posits that God is fundamentally different from all other entities, existing independently and requiring purification of language when discussing His attributes. In contrast, theistic personalism views God as a person similar to humans but differing in degree, not kind, with attributes like wisdom being comparable on a scale.

Q: How do classical theists view God's act of creation?

Classical theists argue that God's creation ex nihilo is a unique form of causation, distinct from human actions. They emphasize that God's creation does not involve changing pre-existing materials, unlike human causation, which involves acting on something that already exists.

Q: What analogy does Richard Swinburne use to describe God's creation?

Richard Swinburne, a theistic personalist, likens God's creation ex nihilo to a human willing something into existence, such as a person willing a sixth finger to appear on their hand. He suggests that divine creation can be imagined similarly to human actions, though classical theists find this comparison inadequate.

Q: How do classical theists respond to Swinburne's analogy?

Classical theists argue that Swinburne's analogy fails to capture the uniqueness of divine causation. They contend that willing a sixth finger into existence involves acting on something pre-existing (the hand), which does not exemplify creation ex nihilo. They emphasize the profound difference in the nature of divine action.

Q: What role does language play in classical theism?

In classical theism, language requires purification when discussing God's attributes, as terms like 'wise' applied to God and humans differ significantly. St. Thomas Aquinas highlights that such terms need an extended meaning when referring to God, reflecting His fundamental difference from creation.

Q: How do classical theists and theistic personalists differ in their view of God's relationship to creation?

Classical theists emphasize the dependency of everything on God, who exists independently and creates ex nihilo. In contrast, theistic personalists interpret God's relationship to creation as more analogous to human actions, suggesting that divine creation can be understood similarly to human causation.

Q: What is the significance of the analogy involving a sixth finger?

The analogy of a person willing a sixth finger to appear is used to critique theistic personalism's view of divine causation. Classical theists argue that this analogy does not clarify the concept of creation ex nihilo, as it involves acting on something pre-existing, unlike God's unique form of causation.

Q: What can viewers expect in the next segment of the video?

The next segment of the video promises an argument in favor of classical theism, indicating a deeper exploration of its philosophical underpinnings. Viewers can expect a detailed examination of the reasons supporting classical theism's view of God's nature and the implications of this perspective.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Elmar Kremer introduces two philosophical conceptions of God: classical theism and theistic personalism, focusing on their differences in understanding God's nature and attributes. Classical theism sees God as fundamentally distinct from creation, while theistic personalism views God as similar to humans but greater in degree.

• Classical theists argue that God's creation of the world ex nihilo is a unique form of causation, unlike human actions. Theistic personalists, like Richard Swinburne, suggest that divine creation can be imagined similarly to human causation, though classical theists find this comparison inadequate.

• The discussion includes the analogy of a person willing a sixth finger to appear, used to critique theistic personalism's view of divine causation. The video concludes by preparing to present an argument favoring classical theism, indicating further exploration of its philosophical basis.