Ep. #60 – A Natural Theology Seminar w/ Dr. Koons
Summary
This fall, Dr. Robert Koons is teaching a graduate seminar on arguments for God’s existence. In this episode, we cover cosmological arguments, teleological arguments, and epistemological arguments. We have a detailed discussion about the Kalam argument and fine-tuning arguments. Dr. Koons response to the multiverse objection and the problem of evil and suffering. This is one of the best episodes in the history of this podcast!
Guest Bio
Dr. Robert Koons has earned degrees at Michigan State, Oxford, and UCLA. He’s taught at UT-Austin for 31 years. And he’s authored or edited six books, including his recent book The Atlas of Reality: A Guide to Metaphysics with Tim Pickavance. He’s also contributed an excellent chapter to the recent work Faith and Reason: Philosophers Explain Their Turn to Catholicism. You can find out more about his work, including many published papers over at robkoons.net.
Show Outline
In the first segment, Dr. Koons discusses the structure of his graduate seminar in natural theology. He also provides four reasons why natural theology is important.
In the next segment, Dr. Koons distinguishes Aristotelian style cosmological arguments from a Kalam style argument. We devote a good portion of the discussion to philosophical arguments for the finitude of the past. Dr. Koons explains why he thinks his arguments bypass Feser’s objection.
In the final segment, we discuss teleological arguments with a focus on the fine-tuning of the universe. I ask Dr. Koons how he will address the well-known multiverse objection. Additionally, I raise the Problem of Evil and Dr. Koons gives us some brief thoughts along the lines of his preferred answer.
He also adds other arguments that may come up during the seminar that don’t quite fit into the cosmological or teleological categories.
Resources Mentioned
Infinity, Causation, and Paradox by Alexander Pruss
Faith and Reason: Philosophers Explain Their Turn to Catholicism
Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for the Existence of God: The Plantinga Project
Related Episodes
Ep. #35 – Does the Universe Have a Cause? with Dr. Koons
Ep. #32 – An Interview with Dr. Edward Feser
