Here's another argument to add to the list. According to necessitarianism, everything that exists or occurs does so of absolute necessity, and nothing at all could've been other than it actually is. But according to traditional theism, contingentarianism is true and necessitarianism is false. Therefore, if necessitarianism is true, traditional theism is false. But a strong case can be made for necessitarianism. Therefore, to the extent that one finds the case for necessitarianism persuasive, one thereby has a good reason to think traditional theism is false.
2 comments:
I know of some Calvinist necessitarians. Do you think they're vulnerable to a charge of contradiction between that and some other traditional theistic commitment?
Hi Chris,
Yes, for on the kind of necessitarianism at issue, if there is a god, then God had to create this particular world (where the notion of necessity in play is categorical necessity, and not mere hypothetical necessity (in Leibniz's sense of the distinction), which is contrary to the doctrines of divine freedom and divine sovereignty.
Best,
EA
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