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Edward Feser

Five Proofs of the Existence of God Paperback – August 18, 2017

by Edward Feser (Author)

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This book provides a detailed, updated exposition and defense of five of the historically most important (but in recent years largely neglected) philosophical proofs of God’s existence: the Aristotelian, the Neo-Platonic, the Augustinian, the Thomistic, and the Rationalist.

It also offers a thorough treatment of each of the key divine attributes―unity, simplicity, eternity, omnipotence, omniscience, perfect goodness, and so forth―showing that they must be possessed by the God whose existence is demonstrated by the proofs. Finally, it answers at length all of the objections that have been leveled against these proofs.

This work provides as ambitious and complete a defense of traditional natural theology as is currently in print. Its aim is to vindicate the view of the greatest philosophers of the past― thinkers like Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, Leibniz, and many others― that the existence of God can be established with certainty by way of purely rational arguments. It thereby serves as a refutation both of atheism and of the fideism that gives aid and comfort to atheism.

Editorial Reviews

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"A watershed book. Feser has completely severed the intellectual legs upon which modern atheism had hoped to stand."
-- Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

"A powerful and important book. The concluding chapter, where Feser replies to possible objections to his arguments, is a gem; it alone is worth the price of this excellent work."
--Stephen T. Davis, Russell K. Pitzer Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College

"Edward Feser is widely recognized as a top scholar in the history of philosophy in general, and in Thomistic and Aristotelian philosophy in particular. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in natural theology. I happily and highly recommend it."
-- J. P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Biola University

"Refutes with devastating effect the standard objections to theistic proofs, from David Hume to the New Atheists."
--Robert C. Koons, Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin

"Yet another fine book by Edward Feser. He replies to (literally) all of the objections and shows convincingly how the most popular objections (the kind one hears in Introduction to Philosophy courses) are very often completely beside the point and, even when they're not, are 'staggeringly feeble and overrated'."
--Alfred J. Freddoso, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

About the Author

Edward Feser is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. Called by National Review "one of the best contemporary writers on philosophy," he is the author of The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism, Aquinas, Scholastic Metaphysics, and many other books and articles.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ignatius Press (August 18, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1621641333
ISBN-13: 978-1621641339
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 67 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5325 in Christian Books & Bibles
- #23 in Atheism (Books)

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67 customer reviews

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Suraj Nyalakonda

If you're an atheist and want to honestly say you've encountered the best arguments for God's existence, read this book.

January 20, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

If you think God exists, read this book. If you don't think God exists, read this book. If you think it's impossible for human persons to know, for sure, if God exists, read this book. In short, read this book.

Professor Feser shows that if you believe any of the following propositions, you should also believe that God exists:

1. Change is real.
2. The things we see, experience, and interact with are made up of parts.
3. Abstract objects, such as universals, numbers, propositions, and possible worlds exist.
4. The things we see have distinct essences and existences.
5. The principle of sufficient reason is true.

In addition, Professor Feser, in his characteristically succinct and thorough manner, demonstrates that the best objections to these classical proofs for God's existence simply aren't very good.

Of course, these aren't the only proofs for God's existence. Personally, I believe the moral argument is the easiest one to grasp; the Kalam cosmological argument, especially as presented and defended by William Lane Craig, is also very good. The moral argument, specifically as it is made by C.S. Lewis in "Mere Christianity" is what made me realize the objective existence of God. However, the proofs presented in this excellent work by Feser only serve to make more robust my knowledge of God.

If you're an atheist and want to honestly say you've encountered the best arguments for God's existence, read this book.

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James

A worthwhile book in the crowded market of God-debate books

October 30, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

In this book Feser competently argues that God exists given a certain Scholastic metaphysical framework. Whether you think the arguments succeed depends on whether that metaphysical framework is true.

The Aristotelian proof argues from the actualization of potentials to something fully actual. The neo-Platonic proof argues from composite things to something simple and non-composite. The Rationalist proof argues from things that do not explain themselves to something that contains within itself its own sufficient reason for existence. The Thomistic proof argues from things whose essence is not identical to their existence to something whose essence must be identical to its existence. The Augustinian proof argues from the existence of eternal truths to an eternal mind that contains these truths.

Feser devotes a chapter on the divine attributes and how the proofs entail them. He also devotes a chapter to objections of various kinds.

Why did I give five stars? Even though I don't find the arguments compelling, I recommend the book. It's well-written, well-structured, and covers arguments and topics that generally don't get a lot of airtime in the modern God debate. The only possible fault of this book is that although Feser utilizes Scholastic metaphysics to undergird the proofs, he generally doesn't provide reasons to think those metaphysics are true. I don't know if this should be counted as a fault though, because Feser has another book entitled 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘴 which presumably (I haven't read it) provides reasons to accept the metaphysical framework that undergirds the proofs. As it is, 𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 is a concise book, and a thorough explication of Scholastic metaphysics would turn it into a slog, so I don't fault Feser for leaving that job to his other book.

P.S.

This is NOT a book about Aquinas' Five Ways, nor is it merely a summary of other thinkers' arguments. Although these proofs have been around for centuries, the particular expression of them in this book is unique to Feser.

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Grant M.

The book is incredibly unique for the following reasons: ...

February 19, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The book is incredibly unique for the following reasons:
1. The arguments presented in the book are often neglected or ignored by mainstream philosophers. This doesn't mean the arguments are weak by any means, quite the contrary.
2. Unlike the Paley's teleological argument or the Kalam Cosmological argument the arguments in this book are metaphysical demonstrations. That is to say that part of the argument's strengths come from the fact that they can't possibly be disproved by some future scientific discovery.
3. Feser writes with clarity and presents the arguments straight forwardly. He answers potential objections to the arguments in the same way.
4. The final chapter about the nature of God contains a mature defense of the scholastic conception of God's nature.

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Kristina

Very well researched.

January 9, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book gives logical proofs not tangible evidence for the existence of God. Before the time of Christ, classical philosophers had arguments that show pure reason can reveal to us that there is a God. The First Vatican Council knew of these and famously decreed that the existence of God could be known with certainty through “the natural light of human reason.” Modern philosophers may have rejected these arguments but they did not refute them. This is because the premises are obviously true and the conclusions necessarily follow. The fact that these arguments have not been shown to be wrong to this day is a testament to how powerful they are.

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4 star		9%
3 star		8%
2 star		2%
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