Too Much of God Occasionalism and Early Modern Philosophy-FR

Event Details:

Steven Balder, Department of Philosophy, Saint Francis Xavier University, will deliver "Too Much of God: Occasionalism and Early Modern Philosophy."

Modern philosophers, following Descartes, regard matter as inert; in order, then, to explain causality, they often invoke God as the true or sole cause in nature. That is, they adopt an occasionalist position. Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) developed a position called "concurrentism" which influenced Descartes, according to which God and creatures are co-causes of every event. I argue that Suarez's position in effect amounts to occasionalism and does not solve either Suarez's or Descartes's problem. I argue further that an earlier, Thomistic position, will avoid the problems in Suarez and in Descartes. 

Building: Toole Hall

Room Number: 03