One Step Toward God

Much of traditional natural theology offers causal explanations- e.g. for the universe's existence and ability to host our sort of life. But a less-remarked strand offers ontological explanations, claiming that theories involving God are the best answers to ontological questions. Leibniz, for i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Royal Institute of Philosophy supplement 2011-07, Vol.68 (68), p.67-103
Main Author: Leftow, Brian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Causality
Epistemology
General philosophy. Metaphysics
Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm, Freiherr von (1646-1716)
Ontology
Philosophical logics. Philosophy of language
Philosophy
Philosophy of religion
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Summary:Much of traditional natural theology offers causal explanations- e.g. for the universe's existence and ability to host our sort of life. But a less-remarked strand offers ontological explanations, claiming that theories involving God are the best answers to ontological questions. Leibniz, for instance, wrote in the Monadology that If there is a reality in essences or possibilities, or… eternal truths, this reality must be founded on something existent… and consequently on the existence of the necessary being in whom essence involves existence… without (God) there would be nothing real in the possibilities – not only nothing existent, but also nothing possible.
ISSN:1358-2461
1755-3555
DOI:10.1017/S1358246111000063