Travis Dumsday recently published 'Alternative Conceptions of the Spiritual: Polytheism, Animism, and More in Contemporary Philosophy of Religion' with Bloomsbury Academic. This is a much needed, and much appreciated work that seeks to bring to the fore and engage with various substantive but neglected philosophical alternatives to prevailing paradigms like Christian theism or Naturalism. He … Continue reading Dumsday on Polytheism: Introduction
Polytheism
Growing through the Sidewalk
Hello dear reader, it's been some time. I was not sure what would come of this place, but I'm very glad to find it still here.I want to share something with you if you'll humor me. I'm told it is not that uncommon of a story, but it is now mine to tell. It's about … Continue reading Growing through the Sidewalk
The one where a polytheist takes on the Razor
Philosophy is in the business of looking for arguments. Why do we think something is true or false? What reasons are there, really? The philosophical process tends to end when and only for as long as the mind is satisfied. But that doesn't mean there aren't more arguments to be given on behalf of a … Continue reading The one where a polytheist takes on the Razor
On Paganism as a Robust Alternative
Part of my project is presenting a substantive, robust religious alternative to today's leading positions. I call this alternative 'paganism'. Here I have in mind the oldest, most widespread religious orientation on the planet; the truly global and default position. It is a view of the world on which it truly is enchanted: full of … Continue reading On Paganism as a Robust Alternative
How Simple is Polytheism? Brief Thoughts
There have basically been two objections to polytheism over the years: one, that it is impossible, and the other, that it is too complicated. I. Impossible! The impossibility objections traditionally come from more classical quarters, as the very idea of there being two or more Gods has seemed contradictory in light of a more metaphysical … Continue reading How Simple is Polytheism? Brief Thoughts
Monotheism and the Question Begged
The idea of monotheism can be put in different ways, and sometimes other ideas can be mistaken for monotheism. A more abstract approach, for example, would not necessarily say there is only one God, but only that there is no more than one God. This way of putting things is amenable to those who think … Continue reading Monotheism and the Question Begged
A Curious Concession
"The rapid spread of Polytheism, especially during the period stretching from Abraham to Christ, calls for an explanation. Since reason is able to produce the strongest argument against the intrinsic possibility of Polytheism, the enormous propagation of this error can not be sufficiently explained by attributing to it the weakness of human intellect after the … Continue reading A Curious Concession
The Rebirth of Platonism in Philosophy of Religion: Debrief and some l’esprit d’escalier
Last night I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Watkins from Real Atheology and Tyler over on his YouTube channel The Freed Thinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdBtlAlTCYo I have long admired Ben's work, and share his commitment to raising the level of discourse. And Tyler was a gracious and attentive host. I appreciate the opportunity, and look … Continue reading The Rebirth of Platonism in Philosophy of Religion: Debrief and some l’esprit d’escalier
Hot Take Monday: Taking All Y’all to Task
I'd like to share a couple of hot takes with you, ya know, to spice your Monday up. The first is that polytheism is the fulfillment of a naturalist intuition. The second is that monotheism has built a fortress around a very fragile belief. Let's take each in turn. I. The Best of Both Worlds: … Continue reading Hot Take Monday: Taking All Y’all to Task
Thoughts on De Mysteriis: Part 3
In this series we have taken a closer look at Iamblichus' remarks about the 'higher kinds' and what role they play in the scheme of things. For Iamblichus, it is a matter of necessity that there are intermediate kinds of things between Gods and embodied souls, since otherwise there would be a clean break between … Continue reading Thoughts on De Mysteriis: Part 3
The Analytic Pagan 