Is Goodness Without God Good Enough?

A Debate on Faith, Secularism, and Ethics

Contributions by Louise Antony, William Lane Craig, John Hare, Donald C. Hubin, Paul Kurtz, C Stephen Layman, Mark C. Murphy, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Richard Swinburne Edited by Robert K. Garcia, Nathan L. King

Publication date:

20 August 2008

Length of book:

228 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

237x161mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780742551701

Morality and religion: intimately wed, violently opposed, or something else? Discussion of this issue appears in pop culture, the academy, and the media_often generating radically opposed views. At one end of the spectrum are those who think that unless God exists, ethics is unfounded and the moral life is unmotivated. At the other end are those who think that religious belief is unnecessary for_and even a threat to_ethical knowledge and the moral life. This volume provides an accessible, charitable discussion that represents a range of views along this spectrum. The book begins with a lively debate between Paul Kurtz and William Lane Craig on the question, Is goodness without God good enough? Kurtz defends the affirmative position and Craig the negative. Following the debate are new essays by prominent scholars. These essays comment on the debate and advance the broader discussion of religion and morality. The book closes with final responses from Kurtz and Craig.
Written in clear and accessible prose, this book is a must-read not just for philosophers interested in ethics or the philosophy of religion but for anyone interested in the important topic of God's relationship to morality. The book includes fascinating original arguments not to be found elsewhere; even those already familiar with the views and writing of Craig and Kurtz will discover new ideas from these two important thinkers.