Category: Metaphilosophy
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A Comparison of the Roles of Doubt in Philosophy and in Religion
Top o' the Stack. This morning I preach on James 1:5-8. Of all the epistles, this, the most philosophical, is my favorite. There we read that he who is wanting in wisdom should ask it of God. But one must ask in faith without doubt or hesitation. "For he who hesitates/doubts is like a wave of the…
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Is the Real a Tricycle?
Had enough of doom and gloom, politics and perfidy? Try this Substack article on for size. I examine a point of dispute between Alvin Plantinga and John Hick, two distinguished contributors to the philosophy of religion. The Substack article also relates to my earlier discussion with Tom the Canadian, here. (I am protective of my…
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The Concept of ‘Standoff’ in Philosophy
Top o' the Stack.
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Annoying Habits of Some Philosophers
Top o' the Stack. A partial catalog.
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Moving from Religion to Philosophy
A typology of motives. Substack latest.
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The Presuppositionalist Challenge to My Position
The presuppositionalism of Cornelius van Til, Greg L. Bahnsen, John M. Frame and others sets me a challenge given some long-held views of mine. I will here explain one of these views and then explain why it is incompatible with presuppositionalism. After that, I will begin to explain my reasons for rejecting presuppositionalism. This third…
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Politics and Philosophy
Top o' the Stack By the way, don't confuse politics with political philosophy. The latter is philosophy; the former is not.
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Does Doubt Have a Role to Play in Religion?
Substack latest I list six such salutary roles.
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The Difference between Philosophy and Polemics
Top o' the Stack. Tony Flood comments: Congrats on another vital post, Bill. You referred to our spectatorship and to theoria without adverting to the etymological connection between them. (You can't do everything in one post! (:^D) ) In Philosophy after Christ, p. 39n1, I noted: The Greek theoreō (θεωρέω) means to look at; gaze; spectate; form a picture. “Theory” comes from the noun for…
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What is Philosophy Good For?
A Substack protreptic. A protreptic is an exhortation. From the late Latin protrepticus hortatory, encouraging, from Greek protreptikos, from protrepein to turn forward, urge on, from pro- + trepein to turn. (Miriam-Webster)
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Retorsion Revisited: How Far Does it Reach and What Does it Prove?
Retorsion (retortion) is the philosophical procedure whereby one attempts to establish a thesis by uncovering a performative inconsistency in anyone who denies it. It is as old as Aristotle and has been put to use by philosophers as diverse as Transcendental Thomists and Ayn Rand and her followers. Retorsion is something like an ad hominem tu quoque except…
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Occam’s Razor: Its Use and Abuse
I am not historian enough to pronounce upon the relation of what is standardly called Occam's Razor to the writings of the 14th century William of Ockham. The different spellings of his name will serve as a reminder to be careful about reading contemporary concerns into the works of philosophers long dead. Setting aside historical concerns, Occam's…
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Genuine Inquiry and Two Forms of Pseudo-Inquiry: Sham Reasoning and Fake Reasoning
Steven Nemes sent me to his Substack site where he has an article entitled Theology and Philosophy in Roman Catholicism. His way of thinking reminds me of my younger self. What follows is a revised re-posting of an article of mine from September 2014 which explores similar themes. At the end of the re-posting I…
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Against Specialization
"Specialization is for insects." (Robert A. Heinlein) If so, there is no 'insect' like the hyper-specialized analytic philosopher. (See here for quotation and context.) The true philosopher is "a spectator of all time and existence," (Plato) and of everything sublunary and superlunary. Panoptics and synoptics are the optics of the true philosopher. Spinoza the lens-grinder…
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Can Philosophy be Debated?
Strictly speaking, no! Top o' the Stack.