Scientific Approaches to the Philosophy of Religion (Palgrave Frontiers in Philosophy of Religion)

Tackling Central Problems In Philosophy Of Religion By Referring To Relevant Theories And Findings In Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Developmental Psychology, Decision Theory, Biology, Physics, Cosmology, The Contributors Address A Range Of Topics, Including Divine Attributes; God, Creation And Evolution; God And The Universe; Religious Beliefs. Edited By Yujin Nagasawa. Tackling central problems in philosophy of religion by referring to relevant theories and findings in cognitive science, anthropology, developmental psychology, decision theory, biology, physics, cosmology, the contributors address a range of topics, including divine attributes; God, creation and evolution; God and the universe; religious beliefs. The philosophy of religion, one of the oldest areas of philosophy, has been advanced mainly through conceptual thinking. However, over the last few decades scientists have made discoveries with significant implications for this philosophical domain. Scientific Approaches to Philosophy of Religion opens new perspectives by applying scientific approaches to central problems in the field. The book's contributors tackle perennial problems in philosophy of religion by referring to relevant findings and theories in cognitive science, anthropology, developmental psychology, decision theory, biology, physics and cosmology. They address a wide range of topics, such as divine attributes; God, creation and evolution; God and the universe; religious beliefs; religious tolerance and disagreement; and the compatibility of science and religion Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 The Necessity of God and the Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking....Pages 11-27 Why Would Anyone Believe in a Timeless God? Two Types of Theology....Pages 28-45 Front Matter....Pages 47-47 Darwin’s Argument from Evil....Pages 49-70 Attributing Agency: Fast and Frugal or All Things Considered?....Pages 71-91 Front Matter....Pages 93-93 On Non-Singular Space-times and the Beginning of the Universe....Pages 95-142 The Theistic Multiverse: Problems and Prospects....Pages 143-162 Front Matter....Pages 163-163 How Relevant Is the Cognitive Science of Religion to Philosophy of Religion?....Pages 165-183 The Rationality of Classical Theism and Its Demographics....Pages 184-201 Front Matter....Pages 203-203 Coercion, Consequence and Salvation....Pages 205-223 Polarized Yet Warranted Christian Belief....Pages 224-234 Front Matter....Pages 235-235 Freedom, Science and Religion....Pages 237-254 The Compatibility of Science and Religion: Why the Warfare Thesis Is False....Pages 255-274 Back Matter....Pages 275-280 Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Series Preface 8 Acknowledgements 9 Notes on Contributors 10 Introduction 12 Part I Divine Attributes 19 1 The Necessity of God and the Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking 20 2 Why Would Anyone Believe in a Timeless God? Two Types of Theology 37 Part II God, Creation and Evolution 55 3 Darwin’s Argument from Evil 56 4 Attributing Agency: Fast and Frugal or All Things Considered? 78 Part III God and the Universe 99 5 On Non-Singular Space-times and the Beginning of the Universe 100 6 The Theistic Multiverse: Problems and Prospects 148 Part IV Religious Beliefs 168 7 How Relevant Is the Cognitive Science of Religion to Philosophy of Religion? 169 8 The Rationality of Classical Theism and Its Demographics 188 Part V Religious Tolerance and Disagreement 206 9 Coercion, Consequence and Salvation 207 10 Polarized Yet Warranted Christian Belief 226 Part VI The Compatibility of Science and Religion 237 11 Freedom, Science and Religion 238 12 The Compatibility of Science and Religion: Why the Warfare Thesis Is False 256 Index 276