The Meaning of Theism

Leading philosophers reflect on what belief in God, or its absence, means for the subject- what difference it makes to the flow and perceived significance of someoners"s life. The different perspectives of the authors, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, atheist and agnostic make for an unusually stimulating juxtaposition of views. Contributors include Sir Anthony Kenny on the idea of ls"devout agnosticismrs", Alvin Plantinga on the compatibility of science and religion, John Haldane on the human desire for God, Richard Norman on atheistic interpretations of religious experience, David Benatar on the value of religious observance irrespective of belief, and John Cottingham on the role of emotions and habits of virtue in the adoption of a religious outlook.

John Cottingham was educated at Oxford University and is currently Professor of Philosophy at the University of Reading, where he holds an Established Chair of Philosophy. He is also an Honorary Fellow of St John’s College, Oxford. He is (since 1993) Editor of Ratio, the international journal of analytic philosophy. In 2002-4 he was Stanton Lecturer in the Philosophy of Religion at Cambridge University, and his most recent book is The Spiritual Dimension (2005).