Why God Must Do What is Best: A Philosophical Investigation of Theistic Optimism
Ebook
The idea that God, understood as the most perfect being, must create the best possible world is often underacknowledged by contemporary theologians and philosophers of religion. This book clearly demonstrates the rationale for what Justin J. Daeley calls Theistic Optimism and interacts with the existing literature in order to highlight its limitations. While locating Theistic Optimism in the thought of Gottfried Leibniz, Daeley argues that Theistic Optimism is consistent with divine freedom, aseity, gratitude, and our typical modal intuitions. By offering plausible solutions to each of the criticisms levelled against Theistic Optimism, he also provides a vigorous and original defence against the charge that it deviates from the Christian tradition.
Engaging with both the Christian tradition and contemporary theologians and philosophers, Why God Must Do What is Best positions the idea of Theistic Optimism firmly within the language of contemporary philosophy of religion.
Articulates the idea that God, as the most perfect being, creates the best possible world necessarily.
The first book-length treatment of Theistic Optimalism
Extends the existing debate to address new areas of divine aseity, divine gratitude and modal intuition
Directly engages with both the Christian tradition and with contemporary Christian theologians
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Theistic Optimism and the Leibnizian Legacy
3. Theistic Optimism and Divine Freedom
4. Theistic Optimism, Divine Praiseworthiness, and Thankworthiness
5. Theistic Optimism and Divine Aseity
6. Theistic Optimism and Modal Collapse
7. Theistic Optimism and the Christian Tradition
8. Theistic Optimism and Theistic Compatibilism
9. Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
In writing this rigorous and spirited apology for the claim that God must do the best, Daeley has breathed new life into the philosophical doctrine of optimism. This book is a must-read for philosophers of religion.
Theistic Optimism – the view that God must do the best – is out of favor among contemporary analytic philosophers of religion. Justin Daeley offers a lively, comprehensive, and persuasive defense of Theistic Optimism, appealing to both contemporary and historical sources and contributing original arguments to an age-old debate.
Justin Daeley offers a systematic exegesis and defence of the Leibnizian view that God must do the best. Along the way, he engages with many important related topics in philosophy and theology. Specialists and non-specialists alike will find much of interest here.
- Title: Why God Must Do What is Best: A Philosophical Investigation of Theistic Optimism
- Author: Justin J. Daeley
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2022
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781350109919, 9781350268463, 1350268461, 1350109916
- Resource ID: LLS:9781350109919
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-04-09T03:49:07Z
Justin J. Daeley (Ph.D., Philosophy) currently teaches philosophy and theology at the University of Northwestern - St. Paul, USA. He has published articles in academic journals such as Sophia, Religious Studies, and Philosophia Christi.