The Category of Freedom in the Thought of Charles Hartshorne
Dissertation, Northwestern University (
2003)
Copy
BIBTEX
Abstract
The thesis of this dissertation is that the category of freedom is an ultimate metaphysical category in the thought of Charles Hartshorne, and that it is the main category around which all of his philosophy of religion is developed. Interpreters of Hartshorne would acknowledge freedom as a category in his thought, but not necessarily the main or ultimate category in his thought. This dissertation will show this by using an internal analysis of Hartshorne's own writings and examining the major themes of his philosophy to show how the category of freedom is an ultimate metaphysical category in Hartshorne's thought. Chapter one will examine classical theism's adaptation of Greek metaphysics. Chapter two will examine Hartshorne's critical response to classical ism and his panentheistic alternative. Chapter three will define the meaning of freedom in Hartshorne's thought and its relationship to panentheism. Chapter four will examine ingression and eternal objects and how Hartshorne understands this doctrine in relationship to the category of freedom. Chapter five will examine Hartshorne's doctrine of temporal possibility in relationship to the category of freedom. Chapter six will examine Hartshorne's theodicy in relationship to the category of freedom. Chapter seven is the conclusion to the dissertation where I will summarize the arguments of each chapter and state my conclusion