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The Moral Argument: A History
The history of the moral argument for the existence of God is a fascinating tale. Like any good story, it is full of twists and unexpected turns, compelling conflicts, memorable and idiosyncratic characters, both central and ancillary players. The narrative is as labyrinthine and circuitous as it is linear, its point yet to be fully seen, and its ending yet to be written. What remains certain is the importance of telling it. The resources of history offer a refresher course, a teachable moment, a cautionary tale about the need to avoid making sacrosanct the trends of the times, and an often sobering lesson in why reigning assumptions may need to be rejected. This book lets the argument's advocates, many long dead, come alive again and speak for themselves. A historical study of the moral argument is a reminder that classical philosophers were unafraid to ask and explore the big questions of faith, hope, and love; of truth, goodness, and beauty; of God, freedom, and immortality. It gives students and scholars alike the chance to drill down into their ideas, contexts, and arguments. Only by a careful study of its history can we come to see its richness and the range of resources it offers.
320 pages, ebook
Published November 1, 2019
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About the author
David Baggett
34 books14 followersDavid Baggett (PhD, Wayne State University) is professor of philosophy in the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is the coauthor of Good God: The Theistic Foundations of Morality, God and Cosmos: Moral Truth and Human Meaning, and At the Bend of the River Grand. He is the editor of Did the Resurrection Happen? and the coeditor of C.S. Lewis as Philosopher: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty; The Philosophy of Sherlock Holmes; and Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts.
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May 22, 2021
Throughout this book, Baggett and Walls provide an historical survey of key thinkers in the world of moral apologetics. While technically this book is part of a series of books on the Moral Argument by these authors it is more than capable of standing on its own. And although this isn't the first in the series, I found it helpful in setting the stage for understanding the depth of the moral arguments.
Each chapter follows a similar format
Baggett and Walls begin by introducing a significant thinker in the world of moral apologetics, highlighting their academic upbringing and eventual career achievements. From there, they dig into the unique contributions that thinker made moral arguments. This discussion involves not just summarizing key ideas but also assessing objections raised by critics. It's clear that while each thinker has both strengths and weaknesses, each thinker made significant contributions to the discussion of moral apologetics.
Admittedly, I haven't spent a lot of time engaging with moral arguments. Apologists often present simplified versions that lack depth and skeptics often just dismiss them altogether without bothering to engage much at all. In contrast, this book was refreshing. Baggett and Walls reveal how multifaceted moral arguments have been throughout history and continue to be in recent scholarship. So if you've found moral arguments to be shallow or uninteresting, this book will surely challenge that impression.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Reading it made me want to study moral apologetics in greater detail despite the fact that I gravitate more toward science-related discussions. So if you're at all interested in moral apologetics, this book is a must read. And if you're not interested in moral apologetics, you still should read this book because it might reveal a side of the discussion that you haven't seen before. And that side will likely challenge your assumptions about the discussion. One thing is for sure, I look forward to reading the other books in the series by Baggett and Walls.
Each chapter follows a similar format
Baggett and Walls begin by introducing a significant thinker in the world of moral apologetics, highlighting their academic upbringing and eventual career achievements. From there, they dig into the unique contributions that thinker made moral arguments. This discussion involves not just summarizing key ideas but also assessing objections raised by critics. It's clear that while each thinker has both strengths and weaknesses, each thinker made significant contributions to the discussion of moral apologetics.
Admittedly, I haven't spent a lot of time engaging with moral arguments. Apologists often present simplified versions that lack depth and skeptics often just dismiss them altogether without bothering to engage much at all. In contrast, this book was refreshing. Baggett and Walls reveal how multifaceted moral arguments have been throughout history and continue to be in recent scholarship. So if you've found moral arguments to be shallow or uninteresting, this book will surely challenge that impression.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Reading it made me want to study moral apologetics in greater detail despite the fact that I gravitate more toward science-related discussions. So if you're at all interested in moral apologetics, this book is a must read. And if you're not interested in moral apologetics, you still should read this book because it might reveal a side of the discussion that you haven't seen before. And that side will likely challenge your assumptions about the discussion. One thing is for sure, I look forward to reading the other books in the series by Baggett and Walls.
Displaying 1 of 1 review