A study of the concepts of God in the deistic and theistic traditions of Western Civilization seen from the viewpoint of empirical philosophy. / The nature of concepts is investigated including the cultural factors which contribute to their growth particularly those found in science and theology together with social influences which can affect their evolution. The three basic arguments for the existence of God: the ontological (Anselm), cosmological (Aquinas) and teleological (Butler and Paley) are examined as sources of the attributes which are essential to the concept of God. The attributes themselves are then examined for the consistency and coherence of each as they become a part of the unity of the concept. / The works of Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, William of Ockham, David Hume, John Stuart Mill, William James, Edgar D. Brightman and A. N. Whitehead are drawn upon for critical evaluation of the arguments for the existence of God and the attributes which are implied in the arguments. Since the publication of Mill's Essays on Religion, a growing awareness of the problems of combining the traditional attributes given to God in one concept has tended to lead to a search for modified concepts of God. One result has been an emphasis upon considering finite aspects in the concept as a possible solution. In this respect the works of Mill, James, Brightman and Whitehead are considered in more detail together with empirical criticisms thereof. / The suggestion is made that the concept of a monotheistic, transcendent God be retained in its presently deistic form as an object of worship for religion and a source of the universe and its laws for theology. A solution for the problem of theodicy may be found in the development of a concept of a sub-absolute deity now in the process of evolution along with the universe. / This deity would be finite-dependent for its growth and would be complete when all finite value potentials are achieved. It would be Supreme (finite) Being. The finite universe now has its raison d'etre and man can contribute to the growth of finite deity. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-09, Section: A, page: 2722. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75649 |
| Contributors | MILLS, JAMES CARLETON., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 174 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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