For this week, I wanted to share some free-flowing thoughts on various points of interest that have been on my mind lately. Matthew Levering says that "Anselm raises the possibility that there might be more than one nature that is inferior to no other nature. This would entail that the supreme natures be equals. But, … Continue reading From Anselm to Entelecheia: Free Flowing Thoughts
Polytheism
Polytheism and Classical Natural Theology
I am currently taking a course in Natural Theology, which is understood to be the discipline or science that proves or demonstrates the existence and attributes of God (classically conceived). Two of the works we are reading are Edward Feser's Five Proofs of the Existence of God and Matthew Levering's Proofs of God: Classical Arguments … Continue reading Polytheism and Classical Natural Theology
Phenomenality as Imaging the Gods
Suppose that the term 'God' and all such cognates represent an intellectual labor, such as the articulation of a form, genericity, or some other correlate of intellect. If something like that is correct, then it seems that while 'God' designates a one as such, nevertheless, this one as such does not consist in, but precedes … Continue reading Phenomenality as Imaging the Gods
Agent -> Structure = Soil -> Roots
Whilst in the throes of a grueling leg day this morning, lost in lectures on Heidegger and Gadamer, I had a flash of insight related to yesterday's post that I thought might pardon interrupting your regularly scheduled programming: the meta-level concept, posture, orientation, or approach underlying Polytheism that I was after is pre-metaphysical. In my … Continue reading Agent -> Structure = Soil -> Roots
One Before Each
Summer is almost over, dear reader, but what a summer it was. No exotic trips, or unforgettable moments in the sun. It was a lot of work, actually, with coordinating, juggling, managing, all through a jam packed semester--though with only two weeks left. But, for all of that, it was a time of self-confrontation, destruction, … Continue reading One Before Each
Dialoguing with Aquinas on Polytheism
We are at a point in two of my courses where we are deep-diving into Thomas Aquinas. While studying various of his texts, such as his Disputed Questions, his Summas, and various Commentaries, I decided to return to Aquinas' interaction with polytheism. There was one objection of his that particularly struck me as a fruitful … Continue reading Dialoguing with Aquinas on Polytheism
(Mis)appropriating Polycentricity
It can sound mysterious to say that there is no determinate upper bound number of Gods; or, that this upper bound amount cannot be counted, or that this kind of state of affairs is due to the fact that Deity precedes everything, even Number. This can make it sound like at the highest level of … Continue reading (Mis)appropriating Polycentricity
Reflections on The Consolation of Philosophy
I read Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy many years ago, but hastily, I should say, and I allowed my impressions of it to all but fade over time. Grad school has recently given me the chance to return to this text and to do so with the injunction to read it carefully. I can say now … Continue reading Reflections on The Consolation of Philosophy
Dumsday on Polytheism: Part II
Dumsday makes a lot of engaging, interesting, and provocative points throughout his work, but this final post will focus on two of his points in particular: (iii) inferring plurality from transcendence, and (iv) mapping the abstract to what's on the ground. Of these, the first will take far more of our time. I. Inferring plurality … Continue reading Dumsday on Polytheism: Part II
Dumsday on Polytheism: Part I
In this first post, I want to reflect on two of the points Dumsday makes: (i) how might polytheists appropriate arguments for Bare Theism, or prevent monotheists from doing so? and (ii) how are henads different from bare particulars? I. Appropriating arguments for Bare Theism Dumsday notes that while thinkers like Greer and myself have … Continue reading Dumsday on Polytheism: Part I
The Analytic Pagan 