The Rediscovery of Wisdom. From Here to Antiquity in Quest of Sophia.. on Cosmoligical Argument

This monograph presents a systematic defense of the cosmological argument through engagement with classical philosophical wisdom, positioning itself as a recovery of traditional metaphysical reasoning in contemporary analytic terms. Conway structures his argument around the claim that modern philosophy's abandonment of classical wisdom traditions has impoverished its ability to address fundamental questions about existence and ultimate reality. The work proceeds by reconstructing what Conway identifies as the "perennial philosophy" - a synthesis of Platonic, Aristotelian, and medieval scholastic insights that he argues provides compelling grounds for theistic belief.

The book's central contribution lies in its reformulation of the cosmological argument through careful attention to the concept of contingency. Conway argues that proper understanding of contingent existence necessarily points toward a necessary being, which he identifies with the God of classical theism. His treatment differs from standard contemporary versions by incorporating insights from ancient philosophical traditions that modern analytic philosophy has largely ignored. Particularly significant is his engagement with the notion of participation in being, drawn from Platonic sources, which he employs to address common objections about the transition from contingent to necessary existence.

Conway's methodology combines rigorous analytic argumentation with historical philosophical scholarship. He examines key texts from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and their interpreters, demonstrating how their insights remain relevant to contemporary debates. The work explicitly positions itself against both naturalistic atheism and what Conway characterizes as the "methodological atheism" of much modern philosophy - the tendency to exclude theistic explanations a priori from philosophical consideration.

The book's significance extends beyond its specific defense of the cosmological argument to its broader challenge to contemporary philosophical practice. Conway contends that philosophy's self-imposed restrictions, particularly its rejection of metaphysical reasoning about ultimate causes, represent an impoverishment rather than an advance. His "quest for Sophia" thus functions both as a philosophical argument and as a manifesto for recovering classical philosophical ambitions.

While maintaining analytical rigor, Conway's work represents a distinctive voice in the God debate by insisting that ancient wisdom traditions offer resources that contemporary philosophy ignores at its peril. His synthesis of historical scholarship with philosophical argumentation provides a model for how engagement with pre-modern sources might enrich current discussions about God's existence.