The Problem of Alternative Monotheisms: Another Serious Challenge to Theism

Authors

  • Raphael Lataster University of Sydney

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.v10i1.1801

Keywords:

Theism, deism, quasi-deism, The Evil God Challenge, argument from alternative monotheisms

Abstract

Theistic and analytic philosophers of religion typically privilege classical theism by ignoring or underestimating the great threat of alternative monotheisms.[1] In this article we discuss numerous god-models, such as those involving weak, stupid, evil, morally indifferent, and non-revelatory gods. We find that theistic philosophers have not successfully eliminated these and other possibilities, or argued for their relative improbability. In fact, based on current evidence – especially concerning the hiddenness of God and the gratuitous evils in the world – many of these hypotheses appear to be more probable than theism. Also considering the – arguably infinite – number of alternative monotheisms, the inescapable conclusion is that theism is a very improbable god-concept, even when it is assumed that one and only one transcendent god exists.


[1] I take ‘theism’ to mean ‘classical theism’, which is but one of many possible monotheisms. Avoiding much of the discussion around classical theism, I wish to focus on the challenges in arguing for theism over monotheistic alternatives. I consider theism and alternative monotheisms as entailing the notion of divine transcendence.

Author Biography

Raphael Lataster, University of Sydney

Raphael Lataster is a research assistant and sessional lecturer at the University of Sydney.

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Published

2018-03-11

How to Cite

Lataster, Raphael. 2018. “The Problem of Alternative Monotheisms: Another Serious Challenge to Theism”. European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 10 (1):31-51. https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.v10i1.1801.