Recent Hegel Literature: General Surveys and the Young Hegel

This is an offprint version of the article published in Telos (1980). The version made available in Digital Common was supplied by the author and is made available with permission of the publisher, Telos Press.Publisher's Versiontru

Recent Hegel Literature: The Jena Period and the Phenomenology of Spirit

This is an offprint version of the article published in Telos (1981). The version made available in Digital Common was supplied by the author and is made available with permission of the publisher, Telos Press.Publisher's Versiontru

Teleological Essentialism

Placeholder essentialism is the view that there is a causal essence that holds category members together, though we may not know what the essence is. Sometimes the placeholder can be filled in by scientific essences, such as when we acquire scientific knowledge that the atomic weight of gold is 79. We challenge the view that placeholders are elaborated by scientific essences. On our view, if placeholders are elaborated, they are elaborated Aristotelian essences, a telos. Utilizing the same kinds of experiments used by traditional essentialists—involving superficial change (study 1), transformation of insides (study 2), acquired traits (study 3) and inferences about offspring (study 4)—we find support for the view that essences are elaborated by a telos. And we find evidence (study 5) that teleological essences may generate category judgments

Philosophical issues concerning the Bible and animal telos

This dissertation lays the groundwork (1) for understanding why there is so much disagreement evident in the current discussion of what the Bible says about animal telos, and (2) perhaps for helping an individual work through a number of philosophical barriers in order to come to an understanding of what the Bible says about animal telos from his or her own worldview. First, the dissertation shows how some writers seemingly claim that the Judeo- Christian views apparent in the Bible have influenced the western world in such a way that they have significantly contributed to the wrong thinking about animal telos and the inhumane treatment of animals which it implies. However, other writers claim that the Judeo-Christian views apparent in the Bible are precisely what have raised awareness of animal concerns and have contributed to the better treatment of animals. The question begs to be answered, Why is there such a radical difference in opinion on what a single book says about animal telos? Second, the dissertation uncovers some of the underlying philosophical issues which tend comprise the worldviews that separate those who write about the Bible and animal telos. These differences in philosophical presuppositions are often subtle and thus do not clearly appear on the surface, but nevertheless generate a great deal of disagreement concerning the Bible and animal telos. Because of the variety of underlying presuppositions that different people have (particularly about the Bible), when they say, Here is what the Bible says about X it is almost as if they are talking about different books, rather than only one. Third, the dissertation reviews the reasoning of some important writers (Andrew Linzey, James Gustafson, Jay McDaniel, John Berkman, and Stanley Hauerwas) who have recently argued that the Bible view of animal telos favors better treatment of animals than some have traditionally contended. Fourth, in Appendix A the dissertation provides an in-depth catalog of biblical texts relevant to the issue of animal telos along with brief discussions of their significance for this topic

The Meaning of Telos in Romans 10:4

This study attempts to resolve the ambiguity surrounding the meaning of ‘telos’ in Rom 10:4 and to provide philological criteria for the understanding of this term. Chapter I indicates clearly that a considerable shift has occurred in the history of the interpretation of ‘telos’ in Rom 10:4. The early church and the Reformers understood this verse in a teleological/completive sense: as a statement of the fulfillment of the law in Christ in a prophetic as well as purposive signification. However, since the post-Reformation era and particularly since the nineteenth century the terminal/temporal/antinomian interpretations have prevailed. Rom 10:4 has been generally approached from the perspective of the law-gospel debate. The thrust of the passage and the meaning of ‘telos’ have not received due attention. ‘Telos’ has been translated by termination, fulfillment, or goal, without semantic substantiation. Chapter II provides the needed philological study on the word ‘telos’ and the phrase ‘telos nomou’ in biblical and cognate literature. This study shows that the semantic import of ‘telos’ is primarily teleological, not temporal. ‘Telos’ with a genitive is generally used to indicate purpose or outcome, not termination. The phrase ‘telos nomou’ designates the object or fulfillment of law, never its abrogation. Therefore, on philological grounds, the interpretation of Rom 10:4 as Christ has superseded or abrogated the law would be awkward, if not incorrect or unintelligible to the audience of Romans, even if it were so intended by Paul. Chapter III consists of an exegesis of Rom 10:4 and its immediate context (9:30-10:21) within the larger context of Rom 9-11. it shows that ‘nomos’ is consistently used in this section in the broad sense of Torah, while ‘telos’ is used probably as the culminating point in a series of athletic terms. It appears, therefore, that the relationship between Christ and the law is explained by Paul in teleological categories. One main concern of Paul in this passage is to prove that the Torah leads to the gospel (10:5-21) and that the Christ event is the climactic manifestation of the righteousness of God promised in Scripture (10:4-8). The way Paul deals with the OT in this passage reveals one of the lesser known features of his thought, namely, his teleological view of Scripture