
Is There a God?
Richard Swinburne(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 7. January 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
139 pages
978-0-19-958043-9 (ISBN)
Description
Is There a God? offers a powerful response to modern doubts about the existence of God. It may seem today that the answers to all fundamental questions lie in the province of science, and that the scientific advances of the twentieth century leave little room for God. Cosmologists have rolled back their theories to the moment of the Big Bang, the discovery of DNA reveals the key to life, the theory of evolution explains the development of life... and with each new discovery or development, it seems that we are closer to a complete understanding of how things are. For many people, this gives strength to the belief that God is not needed to explain the universe; that religious belief is not based on reason; and that the existence of God is, intellectually, a lost cause.
Richard Swinburne, one of the most distinguished philosophers of religion of our day, argues that on the contrary, science provides good grounds for belief in God. Why is there a universe at all ? Why is there any life on Earth? How is it that discoverable scientific laws operate in the universe? Professor Swinburne uses the methods of scientific reasoning to argue that the best answers to these questions are given by the existence of God. The picture of the universe that science gives us is completed by God.
This new, updated edition of Richard Swinburne's popular introductory book Is There a God? features two substantial changes. He presents a new, stronger argument why theism does and materialism does not provide a very simple ultimate explanation of the world. And he examines the idea of the possible existence of many other universes, and its relevance to his arguments from the fine-tuning of our universe to the existence of God.
Richard Swinburne, one of the most distinguished philosophers of religion of our day, argues that on the contrary, science provides good grounds for belief in God. Why is there a universe at all ? Why is there any life on Earth? How is it that discoverable scientific laws operate in the universe? Professor Swinburne uses the methods of scientific reasoning to argue that the best answers to these questions are given by the existence of God. The picture of the universe that science gives us is completed by God.
This new, updated edition of Richard Swinburne's popular introductory book Is There a God? features two substantial changes. He presents a new, stronger argument why theism does and materialism does not provide a very simple ultimate explanation of the world. And he examines the idea of the possible existence of many other universes, and its relevance to his arguments from the fine-tuning of our universe to the existence of God.
Reviews / Votes
Review from previous edition The book is ... an immensely rewarding one for those who are prepared to give it the close attention which it both requires and deserves ... Swinburne is accepting the challenge to make his case on the more difficult side. He succeeds brilliantly, and we can indeed be grateful to him for that ... a worthy counterbalance to the views of such as Dawkins and Hawking. It is much to be hoped that it receives as much attention. * The Door * The book is clearly written, compact, and it provides an excellent introduction to the work of a prolific and significant contemporary Christian philosopher of religion. Not all will be convinced by every argument, but all will benefit from reading it with attention. * Science and Christian Belief * He argues his case very well both in this book and in others ... if you are looking for a book which will help you to see that there is more than what you daily observe with your senses, this is a good book to read. * The Tablet *More details
Edition
Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Anyone interested in the nature and existence of God; undergraduate and graduate students in the philosophy of religion, theology, patristics, general philosophy, and in religious studies.
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
180 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-958043-9 (9780199580439)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions


Previous edition
Richard Swinburne
Is There a God?
Book
01/1997
Oxford University Press
€22.27
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Richard Swinburne is Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at the University of Oxford
Content
INTRODUCTION ; 1. GOD ; 2. HOW WE EXPLAIN THINGS ; 3. THE SIMPLICITY OF GOD ; 4. HOW THE EXISTENCE OF GOD EXPLAINS THE WORLD AND ITS ORDER ; 5. HOW THE EXISTENCE OF GOD EXPLAINS THE EXISTENCE OF HUMANS ; 6. WHY GOD ALLOWS EVIL ; 7. HOW THE EXISTENCE OF GOD EXPLAINS MIRACLES AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE ; EPILOGUE: SO WHAT? ; GUIDE TO FURTHER READING ; INDEX