Abstract
I display the historical roots of perfect being theology in Greco-Roman philosophy, and the distinctive reasons for Christians to take up a version of this project. I also rebut a recent argument that perfect-being reasoning should lead one to atheism.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anselm. (1965). Proslogion (M. Charlesworth, Trans.). Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Aristotle. (1941). Metaphysics. In R. McKeon (Ed.), The basic works of Aristotle (W. D. Ross, Trans.). NY: Random House.
Augustine. (1982). Eighty three different questions (D. Mosher, Trans.). Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press.
Augustine (1994a). Christian Doctrine. In P. Schaff (Ed.), Nicene and post-nicene fathers (F. Shaw, Trans.), ser. 1, v. 2. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
Augustine (1994) The Trinity. In: Schaff P. (eds) Nicene and post-nicene fathers. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA
Augustine. (1999). Retractions (M. Bogan, Trans.). Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press.
Boethius. (1969). The consolation of philosophy (V. E. Watt, Trans.). NY: Penguin Books.
Cicero. (1988). On the nature of the Gods. In B. Inwood & L. Gerson (Eds.), Hellenistic philosophy: Introductory readings (B. Inwood & L. Gerson, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co.
Hill D. (2005) Divinity and maximal greatness. Routledge, London
Leftow B. (2004) Anselm’s perfect being theology. In: Davies B., Leftow B. (eds) The Cambridge companion to Anselm. Cambridge University Press, NY, pp 132–156
Maitzen S. (2005) Anselmian Atheism. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 70: 225–239
Origen. (1956). Letter to Gregory Thaumaturgos, tr. in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, v. IV. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Pike N. (1969) Omnipotence and God’s ability to sin. American Philosophical Quarterly 6: 208–216
Plato. (1992). Republic (G. M. A. Grube & C. D. C. Reeve, Trans.). Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co.
von Harnack, A. (1958). History of dogma (3rd ed., N. Buchanan, Trans.). NY: Russell & Russell.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leftow, B. Why perfect being theology?. Int J Philos Relig 69, 103–118 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-010-9267-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-010-9267-0