Thinking About God

Davies' "Thinking About God" serves as a comprehensive philosophical introduction to classical theistic arguments and their modern critics. The work systematically examines traditional proofs for God's existence while engaging with contemporary philosophical objections, positioning itself as both a primer for students and a sophisticated defense of rational theology.

The monograph opens by establishing the philosophical legitimacy of God-talk against positivist critiques that would dismiss religious language as meaningless. Davies argues that questions about God's existence remain philosophically coherent and intellectually significant, despite challenges from logical positivism and linguistic philosophy. He demonstrates how theistic discourse operates within established philosophical frameworks while addressing unique conceptual challenges.

Central to Davies' approach is his careful exposition of five classical arguments: the cosmological, teleological, ontological, moral, and religious experience arguments. Rather than simply rehearsing these proofs, he reconstructs them in their strongest forms, drawing particularly on Aquinas's formulations while incorporating insights from contemporary philosophers like Richard Swinburne and Alvin Plantinga. His treatment of the cosmological argument emphasizes the distinction between scientific and metaphysical explanation, arguing that empirical science cannot address questions of ultimate existence.

The work's significant contribution lies in its balanced engagement with atheistic counterarguments. Davies examines objections from David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and twentieth-century philosophers like J.L. Mackie and Antony Flew. He pays particular attention to the problem of evil, acknowledging its force while exploring various theodicies and defenses. His discussion of religious language addresses verification challenges without capitulating to reductionist accounts of religious meaning.

Methodologically, Davies employs analytic philosophy's tools while remaining sensitive to the classical theological tradition. He avoids both uncritical acceptance of traditional arguments and dismissive rejection of religious claims. The text demonstrates how rigorous philosophical analysis can illuminate rather than dissolve theological questions.

The monograph's enduring value lies in its pedagogical clarity combined with philosophical sophistication. Davies shows how the God question remains philosophically live, requiring careful argument rather than dogmatic assertion or denial. His work establishes that natural theology, while facing serious challenges, continues to offer intellectually respectable approaches to fundamental questions about reality's ultimate nature and ground. This balanced treatment makes the text essential reading for understanding how contemporary philosophy engages with classical theistic arguments.