Heaven and Philosophy

Description

This volume, which includes accessibly written chapters by skeptics and believers, asks deep questions about the nature, possibility, and desirability of heaven that will be of interest to anyone who has pondered life beyond the grave. Cover Heaven and Philosophy Heaven and Philosophy Contents Introduction In Heaven Everything Is Fine My Spirit Is Crying For Leaving Heaven Is Hell In Reverse They Say In Heaven Love Comes First Everyone Will Leave At Exactly The Same Time Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now It’s Getting Dark, Too Dark To See Notes References Chapter 1 Confessions of a Struggling Philosopher Souls: Our Immaterial Selves The Soul In Popular Culture Three Theories Of Identity The Relationship Between Mental States And Brain States The Afterlife Revisited Concluding Thoughts Notes References Chapter 2 Radical Resurrection and Divine Commands The Problem The Soul Body Snatching The Reassembly Theory Theory The Survival And Causal Connections The Divine-command Theory The Soul Again Notes References Chapter 3 Heaven before Resurrection 1. A Panel Of Possible Anthropologies 2. Ruling Out Non-christian Anthropologies 3. Adjudicating Between Christian Anthropologies Conclusion Notes References Chapter 4 Paradise … Lost? 1. Introduction 2. Preliminaries 3. Philosophical And Theological Reasons In Favor Of Localizing Heaven 4. Contemporaneous Accounts 5. Futuristic Accounts 6. Not A Matter Of Space 7. Conclusion: Heavenly Society— Suggestions For Further Theorizing Notes References Chapter 5 Could Everyone Eventually Be Saved? Introduction God Do? What God Do? What God Do? What Notes References Chapter 6 The Agony of the Infinite Heaven/hell And The The Obdurationist View “heaven/hell” Versus “heaven And Hell” The Obdurationist Defense Heaven As Phenomenological Hell The Agony Of The Infinite Notes References Chapter 7 Love and Death Introduction The Argument From Love And The Problem Of Hell First Response: Ignorant Bliss Second Response: Transformational Communion With God Third Response: Non-transformational Communion With God Fourth Response: Two Kinds Of Suffering Objections Notes References Chapter 8 Heaven and the Problem of Eternal Separation Love And The Problem Of Eternal Separation Some Extant Responses Emotions And Impassibility And (partial) Union Conclusion Notes References Chapter 9 Two Arguments for Animal Immortality Background The Faultless Harm Argument The Just Compensation Argument Objections And Replies Conclusion Notes References Chapter 10 Evil, Freedom and Heaven Introduction Freedom And The Problem Of Evil The Heaven Dilemma For The Free Will Defense Unacceptable Response: Evil In Heaven Compatibilism Versus Libertarianism And Kane’s Compromise Sennett’s Solution: Libertarianism On Earth, Compatibilism In Heaven Eartha And Celeste Self-formation Plural Voluntary Control Clay And Rock, Mary And Jezebel “little Angel Automatons” What’s A Theist To Do? Notes References Chapter 11 Will We Be Free (to Sin) in Heaven? Introduction: Why Worry? Setting Up The Problem First Argument: Freedom As An Ability Versus Freedom As An Opportunity Second Argument: Freedom As Steadfastness Versus Perfected Character Third Argument: Freedom-as-creating Notes References Chapter 12 Heaven and Homicide The Epicurean Challenge Thou Shalt Not Kill Autonomy Vs. Paternalism Anti-universalism No Heaven For The Aborted? Earth Necessary For Soul-making Epistemological Uncertainty Subjective Vs. Objective Recycling Conclusion Notes References Index About the Editor and Contributors About The Editor About The Contributors