Challenge Contemporary Platonism for Theism in view of William Craig

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD of Islamic Philosophy, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran

2 Associate Professor, University of Zanjan. Zanjan, Iran

10.22061/orj.2022.1759

Abstract

Contemporary Platonists acknowledge that some abstract objects, such as mathematical objects, exist necessarily, eternally and independent. On the other hand, biblical theism and classical theism acknowledge that God is the sole ultimate reality. This is the challenge that Platonism has posed to the theology of the Scriptures and classical theology, as a result of which God is not the only independent, necessary, and uncreated reality. William Craig, a contemporary American theist philosopher, believes that theism is undone by Platonism. Thus a theist cannot hold a Platonic realist view of abstract objects; And believes that abstract objects exist and are also uncreated, necessary and eternal. Craig believes that believing in beings with these qualities is incompatible with God's perfection, and the doctrine of creation. Craig cites some biblical verses to prove his view of the incompatibility of Heavyweight Platonism with traditional Christian theism. He believes that by moving from a realistic to an  Anti-realistic view of abstract objects, the above challenge will be solved. Craig's arguments do not seem to be defensible in view of wisdom rudiments   in the science of Asul (the science of principles) And the use and generalizations of the creation from the verses cited by him is not correct. In the end, Craig's main claim of passing from the Platonic realism to the view of anti-realism seems perfectly justified, although his method does not seem correct.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Ontological Researches
Volume 11, Issue 21
September 2022
Pages 138-113

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