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About the Author
J. L. Mackie is at University College, Oxford.
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TRADITIONAL theism, as defined in the Introduction, does not explicitly include any contrast between the natural and the supernatural. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
TRADITIONAL theism, as defined in the Introduction, does not explicitly include any contrast between the natural and the supernatural. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is absolutely the most comprehensive summary of arguments for and against the existence of God I have ever come across. Mackie is dry and extremely thorough throughout - he leaves no stone unturned in routing the arguments for the existence of a Deity.
His summary of the different facets of the problem of evil is full of insight - although in my opinion his conclusions are nowhere near strong enough.
This is an absolute must read for any philosopher or apologist, although the uninitiated will find it hard going. But then, this is a serious academic text - and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. It isn't popular philosophy - but then noone will be kidded into thinking it is!
As an aside, I would strongly recommend that for a wittier and more accessible read, Amazon customers should seriously consider ordering Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion along with Mackie's work. Mackie references it many times, and it is still, over 200 years on, one of the classics of philosophy. Indeed, it is one of the most important works of philosophy in the English language, along with his Enquiries.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Australian philosopher John Mackie, sadly now deceased, has always been one of my favorite philosophers, and when I heard from several religious people that this was in their view the best critique of religion, I decided to buy it at once. The book is indeed highly rewarding of its praise, for it is the most thorough philosophical (here as opposed to scientific) critique of all (mono)theist apologetics written so far.
Unlike such recent anti-theist writers as Dawkins and Dennett, Mackie is extraordinarily charitable to the theists' claims, making sure to mention every possible argument in their favor and using only counter-arguments that could not possibly be considered controversial or contingent on a given scientific theory, etc. In fact, he is much more charitable in some places than is really necessary; I would not have the same patience with the meaningless phrasings of Swinburne or Küng that Mackie has. In any case, Mackie diligently and cordially addresses each of the main issues surrounding theist apologetics: miracles, the ontological argument, the cosmological arguments (including Kalam), moral arguments, the issue of consciousness, free will, the argument from design, the argument from faith alone (Kierkegaard), the argument from popularity (William James), the problem of evil, the possibility of atheist morality, and so on.
Mackie shows himself at his best here - an impressive array of arguments and decisive counterarguments, even against such modern superstars of apologetics like William Lane Craig and Alvin Plantinga, are dealt with in sequence with seemingly no effort at all. Not a single theist argument remains standing, and Mackie is sure to remind us at all times that not only is the burden of proof on the theists, but they also have to show their view more likely than not as well as more likely than naturalist explanations, if their view is to succeed. As Mackie makes abundantly clear, this is a bar far too high for any theology whatever to achieve.
This book is strongly recommended for everyone interested in religion and philosophy, although the work is written at a high level and is not easy or 'popular' reading. To further dig into the issue of ethics and atheism, I would also recommend reading Mackie's defense of ethical anti-realism: Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong.
Unlike such recent anti-theist writers as Dawkins and Dennett, Mackie is extraordinarily charitable to the theists' claims, making sure to mention every possible argument in their favor and using only counter-arguments that could not possibly be considered controversial or contingent on a given scientific theory, etc. In fact, he is much more charitable in some places than is really necessary; I would not have the same patience with the meaningless phrasings of Swinburne or Küng that Mackie has. In any case, Mackie diligently and cordially addresses each of the main issues surrounding theist apologetics: miracles, the ontological argument, the cosmological arguments (including Kalam), moral arguments, the issue of consciousness, free will, the argument from design, the argument from faith alone (Kierkegaard), the argument from popularity (William James), the problem of evil, the possibility of atheist morality, and so on.
Mackie shows himself at his best here - an impressive array of arguments and decisive counterarguments, even against such modern superstars of apologetics like William Lane Craig and Alvin Plantinga, are dealt with in sequence with seemingly no effort at all. Not a single theist argument remains standing, and Mackie is sure to remind us at all times that not only is the burden of proof on the theists, but they also have to show their view more likely than not as well as more likely than naturalist explanations, if their view is to succeed. As Mackie makes abundantly clear, this is a bar far too high for any theology whatever to achieve.
This book is strongly recommended for everyone interested in religion and philosophy, although the work is written at a high level and is not easy or 'popular' reading. To further dig into the issue of ethics and atheism, I would also recommend reading Mackie's defense of ethical anti-realism: Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
J. L. Mackie's greatest work, The Miracle of Theism sets out to examine some of the major defenses of godbelief and then shows how they are lacking. He criticizes classical as well as modern forms of the traditional arguments for god's existence. In particular, he deals a major blow to Richard Swineburne 's argument from design and Alvin Plantinga's free will defence. He also formulates the logical argument from evil and show why it is a compelling reason to discard theism. A must have for all interested atheists and theists.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Stunning
This is first and foremost an academic work, but clear enough as to be valuable to a more general, casual reader. Mackie's thought is exemplary in its clarity and exposition. Read more
Published 13 months ago by T. Blackburn
A philosopher presents the evidence for God
The Miracle of Theism: Arguments for and against the existence of God by J.L. Mackie, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1982, 278 ff. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Dr. H. A. Jones
Comprehensive but difficult
Mackie's book explains everything the reader could ever want to know about the arguments for and against the existence of God. Read more
Published on 17 Jan 2007 by Mr. A. D. Coe
Fascinating for believers and atheists alike
This masterpiece of philosophical writing will neither convert the atheist nor dissuade the devout believer. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2001
The perfect introduction
It's a very good introduction and reference to Philosophy of Religion.
I have read some of the chapters several times and always find something interesting. Read more
I have read some of the chapters several times and always find something interesting. Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2001 by Jaime Quintas
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