Philosophical Thought

Creation of the Essences in Brian Lefow’s Voluntaristic Modal Metaphysics

Document Type : Original Research

Author

M. Saatchi

Islamic Philosophy and Theology Department, Shahid Motahari University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.58209/jpt.3.4.271
Abstract
Theologians believe that the creatures exist based on the activity of the oneness god. But before that, we can ask “Why are creatures possible?”. Brian Leftow has criticized the traditional responses that maintain possible objects are possible due to knowledge of god. God knows the apple, so the apple is possible. It is not a satisfactory response for Leftow, because the essence of God does not need this possibility. Whether the apple is possible or not, God is the God. Also, it seems that the possibility of any creature is necessary. Leftow maintains that this necessity is not written in the essence of God but instead depends on God’s thinking and voluntary creation in his mind. God is the author not just of created reality, but of its vocabulary. This paper explains Leftow’s theory and then criticizes its idea depending on the perfect being theology that Leftow has accepted.

Keywords

Creation
Essences
Modal Metaphysics
voluntarism
Perfect Being Theology
Brian Leftowī
Subjects
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Philosophical Thought
Volume 3, Issue 4 - Serial Number 12
Fall 2023
Autumn 2023
Pages 271-291

  • Receive Date 17 September 2023
  • Accept Date 25 October 2023
  • Publish Date 02 December 2023