A Paradigm Theory of Existence: Onto-Theology Vindicated

ISBN-13: 9789048161287 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 286 str.

W.F. Vallicella

Opis

What is it for any contingent thing to exist? Why does any contingent thing exist? For some time now, the preferred style in addressing such questions has been deflationary when it has not been eliminativist. In its critical half, this book thoroughly analyzes and demolishes the main deflationary and eliminativist accounts of existence, including those of Brentano, Frege, Russell, and Quine, thereby restoring existence to its rightful place as one of the deep topics in philosophy, if not the deepest. In its constructive half, the book defends the thesis that the two questions admit of a unified answer, and that this answer takes the form of what the author calls a paradigm theory of existence. The central idea of the paradigm theory is that existence itself is a paradigmatically existent concrete individual. In this way the author vindicates onto-theology and puts paid to the Heideggerian conceit that Being cannot itself be a being.

This work will be of interest to all serious students and teachers of philosophy, especially those interested in metaphysics and the philosophy of religion.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"This book offers an extended argument that the existence of contingent things is grounded in and hence accounted for by a paradigm existent, which is none other than existence itself ... . a very useful book indeed. The ground covered is immense. The author's knowledge of the past century and a half of philosophizing about the problem of existence is encyclopedic, and his arguments are incisive, to the point, and almost always persuasive. ... this volume belongs on the reading list of anyone ... ." (Hugh J. McCann, The Review of Metaphysics, Vol. LVIII (231), 2005)

"While reading Vallicella's excellent book, I was constantly reminded of why I went to philosophy. It addresses an important perennial issue, it is deep, well-informed and broad, and it is full of precise, careful arguments. This work is one of the best books I have ever read on topics in analytic ontology. ... Vallicella's book is incredibly rich, learned and rewarding. ... And reading this book would be a good antidote to anyone ... ." (J. P. Moreland, Journal of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, 2005)

Spis treści

Preface. I: The Idea of a Paradigm Theory of Existence. II: Is Existence a First-Level Property? III: The `No Difference' Theory. IV: Is Existence a Property of Properties? V: Mondial Attribute Theories. VI: The Ontology of the Contingent Existent. VII: The Ground of the Contingent Existent. VIII: The Paradigm Existent. References. Index.