William Lane Craig - Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview

AN INVITATION TO CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY

1 Why Philosophy Matters

2 An Invitation to Dialogue

3 Acknowledgments

PART I INTRODUCTION

1 What Is Philosophy?

1 Introduction

2 The Nature of Philosophy

3 A Christian Justification of Philosophy

4 The Role of Philosophy in Integration

4.1 Examples of the Need for Philosophy

4.2 Different Models of Integration

4.3 Some Philosophical Principles Used in Integration

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

2 Argumentation and Logic

1 Introduction

2 Deductive Arguments

2.1. Logically Valid

2.1.1 Sentential Logic

2.1.1.1 Nine Rules of Logic

2.1.1.2 Exercises over the Nine Rules

2.1.1.3 Some Equivalences

2.1.1.4 Conditional Proof

2.1.1.5 Reductio ad absurdum

2.1.2 First-Order Predicate Logic

2.1.2.1 Universal Quantification

2.1.2.2 Existential Quantification

2.1.3 Modal Logic

2.1.4 Counterfactual Logic

2.1.5 Informal Fallacies

2.2 True Premises

2.3 Premises More Plausible Than Their Denials

3 Inductive Reasoning

3.1 Bayess Theorem

3.2 Inference to the Best Explanation

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

PART II EPISTEMOLOGY

3 Knowledge and Rationality

1 Introduction

2 What Is Knowledge?

2.1 Strategy #1: Retain the Standard Definition

2.2 Strategy #2: Supplement the Standard Definition

2.2.1 No Relevant Falsehood

2.2.2 Defeasibility

2.3 Strategy #3: Readjust the Tripartite Analysis

2.3.1 The Causal Theory

2.3.2 The Reliability Theory

2.4 Final Reflections About Knowledge

3 Reason and Rationality

3.1 Three Notions of Reason and Rationality

3.2 Rationality as Justification or Warrant

3.2.1 Rationality and Truth

3.2.2 Rationality and Epistemic Values

3.2.3 Degrees of Rationality

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

4 The Problem of Skepticism

1 Introduction

2 Varieties of Skepticism

3 Arguments for Skepticism

3.1 The Argument from Error and Fallibility

3.2 Evil Demons, Brain-in-the-Vat Arguments, and the Possibility of Error

3.3 Transfer of Justification Arguments

4 A Critique of Skepticism

4.1 Skepticism and the Problem of the Criterion

4.2 Brief Responses to the Main Skeptical Arguments

5 The Epistemology of Peer Disagreement

6 Evolutionary Naturalism and Our Noetic Equipment

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

5 The Structure of Justification

1 Introduction

2 Foundationalism

2.1 Exposition of Foundationalism

2.1.1 Proper Basicality and the Foundations

2.1.2 The Relationship Between Basic and Nonbasic Beliefs

2.2 Arguments for Foundationalism

2.2.1 The Role of Experience and Perceptual Beliefs in Justification

2.2.2 Truths of Reason

2.2.3 The Regress Argument

2.3 Arguments Against Foundationalism

2.3.1 Incorrigibility of the Foundations

2.3.2 All Perception Is Theory Laden

2.3.3 The Transfer of Justification

3 Coherentism

3.1 Coherentism Explained

3.1.1 Coherentism and the Doxastic Assumption

3.1.2 No Asymmetries Between Basic and Nonbasic Beliefs

3.1.3. The Nature of Coherence Itself

3.1.4 Varieties of Coherence Theories

3.2 Coherentism Evaluated

4 Virtue Epistemology

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

6 Theories of Truth and Postmodernism

1 Introduction

2 Theories of Truth

2.1 Preliminary Issues

2.2 The Correspondence Theory of Truth

2.3 The Coherence Theory of Truth

2.4 The Pragmatic Theory of Truth

3 Postmodernism

3.1 General Characterization of Postmodernism

3.1.1 Postmodernism and Metaphysical Realism

3.1.2 Rejection of the Correspondence Theory of Truth

3.1.3 Rationality and Knowledge

3.1.4 Antifoundationalism

3.1.5 Antiessentialism and Nominalism

3.1.6 Language, Meaning, and Thought

3.1.7 No Metanarratives

3.2 Assessment of Postmodernism

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

7 Religious Epistemology

1 Introduction

2 Positivism and the Presumption of Atheism

3 Religious Belief Without Warrant

4 Warrant Without Evidence

5 Assessment of Plantingas Religious Epistemology

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

PART III METAPHYSICS

8 What Is Metaphysics?

1 Introduction

2 Main Branches of Metaphysics

2.1 General Ontology

2.2 Special Metaphysics

3 Methods of Approach in Metaphysics

4 The Dispute Between Naturalists and Ontologists

Chapter Summary

Checklist of Basic Terms and Concepts

9 General Ontology: Existence, Identity, and Reductionism

1 Introduction

2 The Nature of Existence

2.1 Is Being a Genus?

2.2 Theories of Existence

2.2.1 Five Characteristics of an Adequate Theory of Existence

2.2.2 Different Theories of What Existence Itself Is

2.2.3 Final Observations About Existence

3 The Nature of Identity

3.1 The General Nature of Identity Itself

3.2 Identity Statements