Thesis (M.F.A.)--West Virginia University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ii, 32 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 32).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 248 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-248). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

This thesis addresses the question of divine action in the mind: Is human consciousness a uniquely nonphysical causal joint wherein divine intentions meet natural realities without contravening lawlike physical processes? It is argued that consciousness is not uniquely spiritual but wholly natural (and possibly physical). However, this need not lead to the conclusion that divine action in the mind does not occur. Rather, this thesis argues that noninterventionist causal joint programs (such as those privileging the mind as uniquely open to divine action) are both scientifically implausible and theologically insufficient, resting on questionable metaphysical presuppositions that are not necessitated by either theology or the natural sciences. By discarding the God-nature model implied by contemporary noninterventionist divine action theories, one is freed up to explore theological and metaphysical alternatives for understanding divine action in the mind (and elsewhere). It is argued that a theologically robust theistic naturalism offers a more compelling vision of divine action in the mind than that offered by standard causal joint theories. By affirming that to be fully natural is to be involved with God’s active presence, one is then free to affirm divine action not only in the human mind, but throughout the natural world. This thesis is divided into two parts. Part One engages with the scientific and philosophical literature surrounding human consciousness, and uses debates about the nature of the mind to offer a sustained analysis and critique of what is termed the “standard model” of divine action. It is argued that the noninterventionist, incompatibilist model of divine action that has spurred the development of various causal joint theories is scientifically and theologically insufficient, and that this is seen particularly clearly in recent theories locating (and constraining) divine action in the emergent human mind. Chapter 2 analyses the contemporary divine action scene, arguing that the standard model presumes noninterventionism, incompatibilism, and a high view of the laws of nature. However, the God-world relationship implied by this model is theologically insufficient. Chapter 3 examines Philip Clayton’s divine action theory, which locates divine action in the emergent human mind and is the latest manifestation of the causal joint model described in Chapter 2. After using emergence theory itself to critique Clayton’s approach, the thesis then examines the philosophy and science of consciousness, in Chapters 4 and 5. It is suggested that a physicalist understanding of the mind is a well-supported position. Part Two of the thesis reframes divine action in the mind within an explicitly theological framework. The thesis does this by analysing what is termed the “theological turn” in divine action debates – the recent tendency to react against standard causal joint theories by rejecting the idea that science can say anything about how and whether divine action occurs. Proponents of the theological turn instead understand divine action from explicitly theological perspectives, affirming compatibilist models in which God is seen to work in, through, and with natural processes – precisely because God is never absent from nature in the first place. Such an approach allows theologians to accept physicalist explanations of the mind, precisely because all the natural world is necessarily involved with God. Chapter 6 introduces this theological turn by exploring various versions of naturalism, ultimately suggesting that neither philosophy nor science mandates the sort of metaphysical naturalism assumed not only by those who deny divine action, but (ironically) noninterventionist divine action theorists as well. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 then introduce, compare, and contrast three different versions of strong theistic naturalism: Thomism, panentheistic naturalism, and pneumatological naturalism. While each of these explicitly theological frameworks is distinctive, they share an affirmation of the intimate relationship between God’s immanent, active presence in the natural world, and suggest the naturalised mind as a relatively intense locus of divine action, as human minds actively participate in and with God. It is concluded that the participatory ontology supported by these theistic naturalisms does, after all, suggest the mind as a locus of intensified divine action – but for very different reasons than those motivating causal joint theorists.

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Orientador: Luciene Marie Pavanelo / Resumo: Esta pesquisa de Mestrado propõe a análise do romance Amanhã (1901), escrito pelo autor português Abel Botelho. A obra faz parte da pentalogia intitulada "Patologia Social", composta por outros quatro livros – O Barão de Lavos (1891), O Livro de Alda (1898), Fatal Dilema (1907) e Próspero Fortuna (1910). Com esse conjunto de publicações, segundo Saraiva (1995), o autor pretendeu criticar as famílias burguesas e nobres que comandavam Portugal, denunciando diversas hipocrisias da sociedade em finais do século XIX, justificando-as pelo viés da patologia como males ancestrais transmitidos pelos laços sanguíneos. Em Amanhã a patologia retratada é a do desvio psiquiátrico, presente no personagem principal, Mateus. Deve-se considerar também, além do viés patológico, a sua importância documental. Segundo Gomes (2009), os conflitos do romance ocorrem no período de novembro de 1894 a junho de 1895, em Lisboa, momento histórico em que há diversos levantes da população e enorme desenvolvimento sindical em Portugal. As manifestações, em sua maioria, ocorreram por influência dos ideais políticos socialistas, anarquistas e comunistas, em ascensão em toda a Europa no final do século XIX. Dessa forma, este estudo inicialmente debruçar-se-á sobre uma análise detalhada do personagem principal do romance, o contramestre Mateus. Em seguida dedicamo-nos a examinar a relação dele com Adriana, seu par romântico, pertencente a outro grupo social, mais abastado financeiramente. Outro ponto de nossa an... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This research intends to analyze the novel Amanhã (1901), written by the Portuguese author Abel Botelho. The work of Botelho is part of the pentalogy entitled “Patologia Social”, composed of four other books – O Barão de Lavos (1891), O Livro de Alda (1898), Fatal Dilema (1907) and Próspero Fortuna (1910). With this set of publications, according to Saraiva (1995), the author intended to criticize the families of the bourgeois and nobles that commanded Portugal, exposing various hypocrisies of the society at the end of the 19th century, justifying them by the pathology bias as ancestral evils transmitted by blood ties. In the novel Amanhã, the pathology portrayed is that of psychiatric deviation, present in the main character, Mateus. In addition to its pathological bias, its documentary importance must also be considered. According to Gomes (2009), the conflicts of the novel take place from November 1894 to June 1895, in Lisbon, a historic moment in which there are several population uprisings and enormous trade union development in Portugal. Most of the protests took place under the influence of socialist, anarchist and communist political ideals, which were on rise throughout Europe at the end of the 19th century. Thus, this study will initially look at a detailed analysis of the main character of the novel, the foreman called Mateus. Then we dedicated ourselves to examining his relationship with Adriana, his romantic partner, belonging to another social group, more afflue... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Résumé: Cette étude de Master se propose à l’analyse du roman Amanhã (1901), écrit par l'auteur Abel Botelho. L’ouvrage analysée fait partie de la série intitulée « Pathologie Sociale », composée de quatre autres livres – O Barão de Lavos (1891), O Livro de Alda (1898), Fatal Dilema (1907) e Próspero Fortuna (1910). À partir de cet ensemble de publications, selon Saraiva (1995), l’auteur a critiqué les familles bourgeoises et nobles qui dominaient le Portugal, il a dénoncé diverses hypocrisies de la société à la fin du XIXe siècle, en les justifiant par le biais pathologique des maux ancestraux transmis par les hommes. Dans Amanhã, la pathologie dépeinte est un trouble psychiatrique, dont souffre le personnage principal, Mateus. Outre son caractère pathologique, son importance documentaire doit également être prise en compte. Selon Gomes (2009), les conflits du roman se sont produits dans la période de novembre 1894 à juin 1895, à Lisbonne, un moment historique dans lequel il y a plusieurs révoltes de la population et un énorme développement syndical au Portugal. En tant que les manifestations, la plupart d'entre elles se produisent en raison de l'influence des idéaux politiques socialistes, anarchistes et communistes, qui étaient en augmentation dans toute l'Europe à la fin du XIXe siècle. Ainsi, cette étude initialement fait l'analyse détaillée du personnage principal du roman, le contremaître Mateus. Ensuite, consacrons-nous à examiner sa relation avec Adriana, son intérêt romanti... (Résumé complet accès életronique ci-dessous) / Mestre

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