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
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

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Philosophical Thought
Volume 3, Issue 4 - Serial Number 12
Autumn 2023
Pages 271-291