Thomistic divine simplicity and its analytic detractors: can one affirm divine aseity and goodness without simplicity?

Jared Michelson*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

I evaluate three of the most widespread analytic objections to the doctrine of divine simplicity: that it fails to cohere with the application of accidental predicates like ‘creator’ or ‘lord’ to God, problematically entails that God is identical to an abstract object, and is inconsistent with the freedom and contingency of God’s acts in creation resulting in modal uniformity/collapse. In dialogue with Thomas’s account of the doctrine, I suggest that each objection is either the product of a misinterpretation or is addressed by Thomas himself. This defence of Thomas’s view of divine simplicity further unearths the way his account of divine simplicity is, according to Thomas, necessary to secure divine aseity and ultimacy. This places a burden upon analytic objectors to divine simplicity, questioning whether their neo-classical conception of God offers an adequate account of divine ultimacy, aseity, and even goodness.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1140-1162
Number of pages23
JournalThe Heythrop Journal
Volume63
Issue number6
Early online date13 Oct 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 4 Nov 2022

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