Divinity and Maximal Greatness

This monograph presents a rigorous philosophical defense of perfect being theology, arguing that the concept of maximal greatness provides a coherent framework for understanding divine attributes. Hill examines the classical theistic conception of God as the maximally great being, addressing contemporary challenges to this view while developing a systematic account of how divine perfections relate to one another.

The work engages critically with the philosophical tradition stemming from Anselm, particularly the notion that God possesses all great-making properties to their maximum degree. Hill analyzes key divine attributes including omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect goodness, exploring how these properties can be understood without generating logical contradictions. Against philosophers who argue that maximal greatness leads to incoherence, Hill contends that careful analysis reveals these apparent paradoxes dissolve when divine attributes are properly formulated.

A significant portion of the text addresses the problem of defining what constitutes a great-making property. Hill examines various proposals in the literature, ultimately defending a view that grounds great-making properties in their intrinsic nature rather than merely in intuitions or cultural preferences. This approach allows him to respond to relativist objections while maintaining that certain properties genuinely contribute to maximal greatness across possible worlds.

The author engages extensively with contemporary critics of perfect being theology, including those who argue that omnipotence generates paradoxes or that divine simplicity conflicts with the plurality of divine attributes. Hill employs modal logic and careful conceptual analysis to demonstrate how these objections rest on misunderstandings of the relevant concepts. His treatment of the stone paradox and similar puzzles offers novel solutions that preserve divine omnipotence while respecting logical constraints.

Methodologically, the work exemplifies analytic philosophy of religion, combining formal logical techniques with traditional metaphysical arguments. Hill draws on recent developments in modal metaphysics to clarify how maximal greatness functions as a concept, arguing that it provides explanatory power for understanding both the divine nature and the relationship between God and creation.

The monograph makes an important contribution to contemporary philosophy of religion by defending perfect being theology against its most pressing objections while advancing new arguments for the coherence and explanatory value of understanding God through the lens of maximal greatness. This systematic defense reinvigorates classical theistic metaphysics for contemporary philosophical discourse.