BONUS|Modal Collapse and Existential Inertia w/ Steven Nemes
Summary
What is the modal collapse objection and how can classical theists answer it? Can the absolutely simple God act for reasons and act intentionally? What is ‘existential inertia’ and what theistic ideas does it run contrary to? How might a classical theist respond to a thesis of existential inertia? Steven Nemes joins the podcast to tackle these questions and more.
Guest Bio
Steven Nemes is a PhD candidate in systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and adjunct professor of philosophy at Grand Canyon University. He’s the author of the paper: “Divine Simplicity Does Not Entail Modal Collapse” as well as several others. His doctoral dissertation is titled: A Constructive-Theological Phenomenology of Scripture.
Topics
- What have you been up to lately as far as writing, speaking, and teaching?
- What is the modal collapse objection and how do you answer it?
- Are there counterexamples to the difference principle in the created order?
- Can the absolutely simple God act intentionally and for reasons?
- What is existential inertia and what theistic ideas does it run contrary to?
- How do you respond to a couple of accounts of existential inertia?
- Is your response similar (or the same) as something Aquinas says?
Resources
YouTube Video Steven Nemes and Christopher Tomaszewski discuss Modal Collapse (this video contains the famous diagram referenced by Steven)
Why Everyone Must Deny the Difference Principle by Steven Nemes (short blog post)
Divine Simplicity Does Not Entail Modal Collapse by Steven Nemes
Simplicity and Creation by Timothy O’Connor
Collapsing the Modal Collapse Argument by Christopher Tomaszewski
Existential Inertia and the Five Ways by Dr. Edward Feser
Existential Inertia and the Aristotelian Proof by Joe Schmid (this is the article Steven refers to in the episode)
Related Episodes
Ep. #92 – Simplicity Does Not Entail Modal Collapse w/ Steven Nemes
Ep. #66 – Simplicity & Modal Collapse w/ Christopher Tomaszewski
