The Greatest Possible Being

The Greatest Possible Being

What can we know about God by reason alone? Philosophical theology is the attempt to obtain such knowledge. An ancient tradition, which is perhaps more influential now than ever, tries to derive the attributes of God from the principle that God is the greatest possible being. Jeff Speaks argues that that constructive project is a failure. He also argues that the related view that the concept of God is the concept of a greatest possible being is a mistake. In the last chapter, he sketches an alternative path forward. "The author delves into both historical and contemporary sources, demonstrates the logical limitations of various arguments about divine attributes, and sketches a path for new approaches. A clear and concise engagement with a traditional philosophical and theological problem, this insightful little book is a worthwhile read for those working in the history of philosophy, philosophy of religion, religious studies, and theology. Summing up: Highly Recommended" -- CHOICE "Speaks offers a penetrating investigation of the concept of the greatest possible being. He argues, contrary to his own anticipation, that the concept of the greatest possible being is an inadequate device for theorizing about the nature of God. The central thesis of The Greatest Possible Being is that there is no way to derive interesting claims about God from the principle that God is the greatest possible being." -- Joshua Rasmussen, Mind Jeff Speaks is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. His previous work includes The Phenomenal and the Representational (OUP 2015) and New Thinking About Propositions (with Jeffrey King and Scott Soames, OUP 2014).