First Causes: Divine and Human

The paper analyzes the concept of a first cause, both for event causation and for agent causation. It turns out that one is rather ready to believe in the existence of first causes that are events, but not in the existence of first causes that are agents. The paper, however, develops and defends a complex argument to the conclusion that there is a first agent-cause. one version of that argument proves -- not necessarily the existence of God -- but still the existence of a godlike agent. Finally, the notion of a first agent-cause is employed for an analysis of freely willed human action

An axiomatization of the Thomasic ontology of composition

This treatise delves into the construction and formalization of a precise theory to encapsulate a pivotal facet of Thomas Aquinas’s ontology. In particular, it focuses on the development of a formal language that is adequate for formulating Aquinas’s understanding of the simultaneous nature of divinity as both an object of subsistence and a universal, individual, and actuating form—a concept evocative of the original Platonic sense of form. The presented axiomatized theory serves as a medium for expounding the ontological principles enunciated by Thomas Aquinas. A comprehensive set of axioms is systematically justified, exhibiting their congruence with Aquinas’s ontological doctrines. To elucidate this harmony, an extensive series of theorems is deduced, closely aligned with the verbal tenets of Aquinas’s teachings. The inherent consistency of the axiom system is proven by the provision of a geometrico-topological model tailored to support it

Actuality and necessity – a puzzle about modality

In a recent paper – “A Priori Arguments for Determinism/Universal Necessity, and the Leibnizian Theodicy” – I considered, among other arguments for determinism, a modal argument which I called “the World-Argument.” I here repeat that argument in informal terms. I will then focus exclusively on the issues it raises in modal logic and in the metaphysics of modality; Leibnizian themes, prominent in “A Priori Arguments …,” are marginal in the present paper

Die Aktualität Husserls für die moderne Philosophie des Geistes

Ausgangspunkt der vorliegenden Würdigung Husserls als phänomenologischer Transzendentalphilosoph ist die wachsende Tendenz innerhalb der analytischen Philosophie des Geistes, klassisch-dualistische Positionen in der Nachfolge Descartes durch einen objektivistischen Physikalismus zu ersetzen. Die wenigen Gegenstimmen – etwa Nagel – ignorierten das kritische Potential des husserlschen Ansatzes, das der Autor gestützt auf Husserls Cartesianische Mediationen und dessen sogenannte Krisisschrift erläutert. Im Zentrum steht dabei die Entfaltung der von Husserl postulierten essentiell dreieinigen Struktur, die menschlicher Wahrnehmung als intentionalem Akt zukomme. Das Problem, soziale Verbundenheit mit dem "Anderen" in einem ursprünglichen Sinn zu denken, ohne dabei auf metaphysische Postulate zu rekurrieren, wird schließlich als Grenze von Husserls Versuch angeführt, "aus der Innenperspektive den Phänomenen der Welterfahrung begrifflich nachzugehen"

Playing God

Metaphysical modelling is a method in (epistemologically enlightened) metaphysics. It uses models for the philosophical analysis of metaphysico-epistemological situations. In this paper, the method is applied to a set of metaphysical questions that concern the relationship between God and the world, and the relationship between human beings and the world. The questions revolve around a center: What is it that ultimately determines reality? This complex metaphysical subject is treated in a simplified and downsized manner: on the scale of board games. As will be seen, the unusual perspective provided by the model leads to new insights and has a salutary corrective effect in the metaphysico-epistemological respect. The paper also provides an analysis and defense of analogical thinking in metaphysics (of which way of thinking metaphysical modelling is a special form)