Is There a God?: A Debate

Two philosophers, Kenneth L. Pearce and Graham Oppy, debate the existence of God. Pearce argues that God is a real answer to the deepest question of why there is something rather than nothing, while Oppy argues that we should believe that there are no gods. The authors discuss and debate a wide range of philosophical questions, including explanation, necessity, rationality, religious experience, mathematical objects, the foundations of ethics, and the methodology of philosophy. The debate is intended for beginning students but will be of interest to philosophers at all levels.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 366 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Bertrand Russell's famous quip that he didn't believe in God for the same reason he didn't believe in a teapot in orbit between the Earth and Mars is often used to challenge the idea of belief in God. Kenneth L. Pearce argues that God is not a teapot, but rather a real answer to the deepest question of all: why is there something rather than nothing? Graham Oppy argues that we should believe that there are no gods, based on the idea that there are only natural causal entities with only natural causal properties.

From this basic disagreement, the authors proceed to discuss and debate a wide range of philosophical questions, including questions about explanation, necessity, rationality, religious experience, mathematical objects, the foundations of ethics, and the methodology of philosophy. Each author first presents their own side, and then they interact through two rounds of objections and replies.

Pedagogical features include standard form arguments, section summaries, bolded key terms and principles, a glossary, and annotated reading lists. In the volume foreword, Helen De Cruz calls the debate both edifying and a joy, and sums up what's at stake: Here, you have two carefully formulated positive proposals for worldviews that explain all that is: classical theism, or naturalistic atheism. You can follow along with the authors and deliberate: which one do you find more plausible?

Though written with beginning students in mind, this debate will be of interest to philosophers at all levels and to anyone who values careful, rational thought about the nature of reality and our place in it.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 217 x 137 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367243944