Existential Inertia and Classical Theistic Proofs

This book critically assesses arguments for the existence of the God of classical theism, develops an innovative account of objects’ persistence, and defends new arguments against classical theism. The authors engage the following classical theistic proofs: Aquinas’s First Way, Aquinas’s De Ente argument, and Feser’s Aristotelian, Neo-Platonic, Augustinian, Thomistic, and Rationalist proofs.  The authors also provide the first systematic treatment of the ‘existential inertia thesis’.  By connecting the thesis to relativity theory and recent developments in the philosophy of physics, and by developing a variety of novel existential-inertia-friendly explanations of persistence, they mount a formidable new case against classical theistic proofs. Finally, they defend new arguments against classical theism based on abstract objects and changing divine knowledge. The text appeals to students, researchers, and others interested in classical theistic proofs, the existence and nature of God, and the ultimate explanations of persistence, change, and contingency.

Joseph Schmid has published numerous articles in international peer-reviewed journals on metaphysics and philosophy of religion and has authored The Majesty of Reason: A Short Guide to Critical Thinking in Philosophy.

Daniel Linford received his PhD in philosophy from Purdue University and has published in a wide variety of top philosophy journals on philosophy of religion, philosophy of time, philosophy of physics, and metaphysics.