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Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for GodThe Plantinga Project$
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Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God: The Plantinga Project

Jerry L. Walls and Trent Dougherty

Print publication date: 2018

Print ISBN-13: 9780190842215

Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: September 2018

DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780190842215.001.0001

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The Mozart Argument and (V) The Argument from Play and Enjoyment

The Mozart Argument and (V) The Argument from Play and Enjoyment

The Theistic Argument from Beauty and Play

Chapter:
(U) The Mozart Argument and (V) The Argument from Play and Enjoyment
Source:
Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God
Author(s):

Philip Tallon

Publisher:
Oxford University Press
DOI:10.1093/oso/9780190842215.003.0020

Many atheistic philosophers concede that the prevalence of natural beauty is much more likely on theism than on naturalism. It is fairly easy to argue that beauty counts as evidence for God's existence. But how strong is this evidence? And what account of beauty are we using? This chapter examines several versions of the argument from beauty for God's existence, evaluates them, and presents a modified version of the argument offered by Alvin Plantinga. The chapter contends that beauty, as well as play, fit into the picture of Christian theology, and do not fit well within naturalism. An open-minded investigator should infer that Christian theism provides the best explanation for them, and that Christianity provides the best hope for satisfying our desire for beauty and play. In addition, the chapter offers a brief appraisal of Plantinga’s argument from play, and attempts to further it.

Keywords:   beauty, naturalism, Plantinga, play, Christianity, Swinburne, theism, Wynn

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