Necessary Existence by Alexander R. Pruss (PDF)

Description

Necessary Existence breaks ground on one of the deepest questions anyone ever asks: why is there anything? The classic answer is in terms of a necessary foundation. Yet, why think that is the correct answer? Pruss and Rasmussen present an original defense of the hypothesis that there is a concrete necessary being capable of providing a foundation for the existence of things. They offer six main arguments, divided into six chapters. The first argument is anup-to-date presentation and assessment of a traditional causal-based argument from contingency. The next five arguments are new “possibility-based” arguments that make use of twentieth-century advances in modal logic. The arguments present possible pathways to an intriguing and far-reaching conclusion. Thefinal chapter answers the most challenging objections to the existence of necessary things.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐If the authors have any interest in any type of conversion, this piece fails. It argues carefully and precisely but does so from assumptions that are nothing close to universal and certainly not unreasonable to reject. As such, it doesn’t do anything to move the nonbeliever, but if this is the case, it is far from clear what the value is supposed to be. It seems like very old wine in a new, shiny glass

⭐This is definitely one of the best books I’ve ever read. The difficulty level though for getting through this masterpiece is middle intermediate (mostly intermediate with some advanced philosophical jargon). Although I really think getting through this book is absolutely worth it.There are quite a few arguments given for the existence of a necessary being. The first argument reasons on the basis of explanation to a necessary being. The second argument works from the possibility of beginning and causation for contingent things which, after justification, follows through S5 to a necessary being. The arguments that follow pick up the (to some) unconvincing threads left by the two arguments, that is, they are more modest so as to be more acceptable. They too lead to the conclusion that there is a necessary being. I can’t express how satisfying it is to read a work that is so thoughtful and yields such a thoroughly justified single conclusion by a number of different means. There are many objections to the existence of a necessary being and the arguments and these are thoroughly discussed and refuted.What I found interesting in this book also was the exploration of possibility-based arguments that utilise the advances made in modal logic. You don’t really need an airtight case for a necessary being, all you need is to increase the probability. From the higher probability it follows modally that a necessary being exists (this is putting it simply). The book also does a good job of explaining and justifying S5 modality that satisfied some of the questions I had about it.To my mind, any reasonable person should be utterly convinced of the existence of a necessary being by this book alone. I found the first two arguments utterly undeniable for any reasonable person. But then I was treated to additional arguments which tighten the case. The end of the book also throws out a whole bunch of arguments for further inquiry. I will definitely re-read this book again in the future and take a lot more notes so I can absorb, all the more, its contents.In all I give this book 5/5.

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