Personal Theism vs. A-personal Axiarchism

Yujin Nagasawa

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Theism says that the world exists because God chose to actualise it. Axiarchism is a novel, a-personal alternative to theism. According to this view, the world exists because it is better that it be actualised than that it not be actualised. Axiarchism is initially attractive because, by replacing a personal God with the a-personal, creatively effective ethical requirement, it appears to explain the existence of the world without facing challenges that theism faces such as the problem of evil and the modal problem of evil. In this chapter, however, Nagasawa argues that theism is, overall, more compelling than axiarchism. First, he argues that axiarchism cannot avoid either the problem of evil or the modal problem of evil because there are versions of the same problems that apply to it as well. Second, he argues that axiarchism cannot respond to these problems as effectively as theism can. Third, and finally, he argues that if axiarchism tries to respond to these problems by assimilating theistic responses, it collapses into theism. That is, there will be no difference between axiarchism and theism.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Divine Nature
Subtitle of host publicationPersonal and A-Personal Perspectives
EditorsGeorg Gasser, Simon Kittle
PublisherRoutledge, Taylor & Francis, London
Pages23-41
Number of pages19
ISBN (Electronic)9781003111436
ISBN (Print)9780367619268
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2021

Publication series

NameRoutledge Studies in the Philosophy of Religion
PublisherRoutledge

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