Did god do it? Metaphysical models and theological hermeneutics

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 78 (2):215-231 (2015)
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Abstract

I start by way of clarifying briefly the problem of special divine intervention. Once this is done, I argue that laws of nature are generalizations that derive from the dispositional behaviour of natural kinds. Based on this conception of laws of nature I provide a metaphysical model according to which God can realize acts of special divine providence by way of temporarily changing the dispositions of natural entities. I show that this model does not contradict scientific practice and is consistent with the assumption that the physical realm is causally closed. I then argue that prima facie any putative candidate for an act of God could also be seen as a random event or as indicating that there is something wrong with our formulation of the corresponding law of nature. While there is no sufficient philosophical or scientific reason to prefer one of these models, I argue that there are sufficient and legitimate theological reasons to endorse a framework in which at least the obtaining of some anomic states of affairs is seen as the effect of special divine intervention. Doing so, theology has the hermeneutic resources to uncover a dimension of meaningful reality, which without faith could not be seen

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Benedikt Paul Göcke
Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Citations of this work

The Many Problems of Special Divine Action.Benedikt Paul Göcke - 2015 - European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 7 (4):23--36.
What is God's Power?Graham Renz - 2021 - European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 13 (3).
Wunder verletzen die Naturgesetze nicht.Daniel von Wachter - 2017 - In Benedikt Paul Göcke & Ruben Schneider (eds.), Gottes Handeln in der Welt. Regensburg: Verlag Friedrich Pustet. pp. 361-382.
Did god know it? God’s relation to a world of chance and randomness.Benedikt Paul Göcke - 2015 - International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 78 (2):233-254.

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References found in this work

On the Plurality of Worlds.David K. Lewis - 1986 - Malden, Mass.: Wiley-Blackwell.
Philosophical papers.David Kellogg Lewis - 1983 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Nature's Metaphysics: Laws and Properties.Alexander Bird - 2007 - New York: Oxford University Press.

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