Gourt > Society > Philosophy > Philosophers > P > Plantinga, Alvin (1)
Alvin Carl Plantinga (born 15 November, 1932 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, of Frisian ancestry) is a contemporary American philosopher known for his work in epistemology, metaphysics, and the philosophy of religion. His current position is John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He is a Calvinist, despite his professorial enrollment at a Catholic University. Like Richard Swinburne, he is a contemporary philosophical apologist for Christianity. He gave the 2004-5 Gifford Lectures at St. Andrews University, titled Science and Religion: Conflict or Concord (to be published).
Education
Plantinga won a scholarship to Harvard University, but left in 1951 to study at Calvin College (Grand Rapids), where William Harry Jellema was teaching philosophy. Following his time at Calvin, Plantinga studied at the University of Michigan from 1954-1955, alongside such future luminaries as William Alston, William Frankena and Nancy Cartwright. He received his doctorate from Yale University (1955-1958). He began teaching at Wayne State University, then spent almost 20 years at Calvin College before moving to the University of Notre Dame.
Philosophical views
He is best known for:
- A contemporary redeployment of the ontological argument using modal logic. The argument, thanks also to Norman Malcolm and Charles Hartshorne, enjoyed renewed interest in the 20th century.
- His "free will defense" response to J. L. Mackie's logical argument from evil, in which he introduced the concept of transworld depravity.
- His "reformed epistemology" attacks on internalist foundationalism
- His "Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism" (see below), discussed by 12 philosophers in Naturalism Defeated?
Metaphysics :: Philosophy
Philosophy of Religion :: Philosophy
Reading up on "Does God Have a Nature?" by Alvin Plantinga.
comereason (Lenny Esposito) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:40:38 -0000
Reading up on "Does God Have a Nature?" by Alvin Plantinga.
Papers by Alvin Plantinga - http://philofreligion.homestead.com/Papersbyplantinga.html
EmilianoCM (Emiliano) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:02:04 -0000
Papers by Alvin Plantinga - http://philofreligion.homestead.com/Papersbyplantinga.html
Alvin Plantinga: The Analytic Theist - A resource page devoted to this contemporary scholar, including primary and secondary texts and extensive links.
Meta Description: [ A website devoted to the philosophy of Alvin Plantinga. ]
An Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism - Plantinga's lecture sponsored by the Academy of Christian Apologetics. Includes lecture notes, streaming audio and links.
Biography.com: Plantinga, Alvin C. - Very brief information on this American writer.
Faith and Science - Streaming audio of this lecture delivered by Plantinga at Calvin College in 2000.
Mind Over Skepticism - Laudatory article on Plantinga's thought by John G. Stackhouse Jr. From Christianity Today, 2001.
Meta Description: [ Christianity Today continues as a leader in providing informative editorial on current events, news from a Christian perspective, Christian doctrine, issues and trends. ]
Notre Dame Philosophy Faculty: Alvin Plantinga - The thinker's faculty profile page. Includes selected bibliography.
On Alvin Plantinga's Notion of the Divine Nature - Paper by Scott David Foutz from Quodlibet Online Journal. Analyzes Plantinga's argument against the doctrine of divine simplicity.
Meta Description: [ Quodlibet Online Journal article: On Alvin Plantinga's Notion of the Divine Nature - by Scott David Foutz ]
Theism as a Properly Basic Belief - Interview with Plantinga conducted by Roy Varghese of Truth Journal.
Wikipedia: Alvin Plantinga - Article on the thinker from this open-access encyclopedia.
