A Philosophical Reappraisal of Henry More’s Theory of Divine Space

This project provides a philosophical reappraisal of Henry More’s theory of divine space, which—through Newton—became part of the metaphysical foundations of the new physics. Of course, this space was soon secularized into an impersonal ether, then seemingly relativized by Einstein. However, some recent philosophers—such as Richard Swinburne, William Lane Craig, and John Lucas—have convincingly argued that absolute space and time remain consistent with a cosmic spacetime as well as with a Neo-Lorentzian interpretation of relativity. Yet while many have allowed this possible return of absolutes to reshape their theology and philosophy of time, few seem to have realized its potential for rethinking God’s relation to space. Thus, a defence of More’s theory of divine space stands at the perfect juncture between a radical new opening and few having noticed it is open. The first part of our project exegetes More’s writings on divine space, providing the textual grounding and inspiration to launch a renewed philosophical defence of divine space in part two, culminating in the conclusion that divine space should still have considerable weight in contemporary philosophy of religion.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Lyonhart, Jonathan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hedley, Douglas

• space
• divine space
• space and time
• henry more
• cambridge platonism
• Isaac newton
• Samuel clarke
• spacetime
• absolute space
• absolute time
• theology
• philosophy

Licence

• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/13094497-ce28-4eea-b28e-f73c502d69cc/download
• https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/

Language dc:language

eng

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.72656

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/325202