Kirk McDermid | Montclair State University (original) (raw)
Papers by Kirk McDermid
Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
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Physics Letters, Oct 1, 2004
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Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physic... more The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physicalism’, above (125–147) are, argues Robert Larmer, both unnecessary and unworkable. Here, I try more clearly to explain that my goal of saving important physicalist intuitions that are incompatible with both the ‘open-systems’ and ‘exemption’ approaches’ use of powerful ceteris paribus clauses. I also defend the two mechanisms proposed in the paper from Larmer's criticisms.
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Teaching Philosophy, 2010
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ABSTRACT
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Teaching Philosophy, 2010
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Religious Studies, 2008
The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physic... more The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physicalism’, above (125–147) are, argues Robert Larmer, both unnecessary and unworkable. Here, I try more clearly to explain that my goal of saving important physicalist intuitions that are incompatible with both the ‘open-systems’ and ‘exemption’ approaches’ use of powerful ceteris paribus clauses. I also defend the two mechanisms proposed in the paper from Larmer's criticisms.
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Religious Studies, 2008
Debates about the metaphysical compatibility between miracles and natural laws often appear to pr... more Debates about the metaphysical compatibility between miracles and natural laws often appear to prejudge the issue by either adopting or rejecting a strong physicalist thesis (the idea that the physical is all that exists). The operative component of physicalism is a causal closure principle: that every caused event is a physically caused event. If physicalism and this strong causal closure principle are accepted, then supernatural interventions are ruled out tout court, while rejecting physicalism gives miracles metaphysical carte blanche. This paper argues for a more moderate version of physicalism that respects important physicalist intuitions about causal closure while allowing for miracles' logical possibility. A recent proposal for a specific mechanism for the production of miracles (Larmer (1996d)) is criticized and rejected. In its place, two separate mechanisms (suitable for deterministic and indeterministic worlds, respectively) are proposed that do conform to a more mo...
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Physics Letters A, 2004
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The European Physical Journal B, 2014
ABSTRACT
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Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
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Religious Studies, 2008
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Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Physics Letters, Oct 1, 2004
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physic... more The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physicalism’, above (125–147) are, argues Robert Larmer, both unnecessary and unworkable. Here, I try more clearly to explain that my goal of saving important physicalist intuitions that are incompatible with both the ‘open-systems’ and ‘exemption’ approaches’ use of powerful ceteris paribus clauses. I also defend the two mechanisms proposed in the paper from Larmer's criticisms.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Teaching Philosophy, 2010
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ABSTRACT
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Teaching Philosophy, 2010
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Religious Studies, 2008
The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physic... more The metaphysics of miracles put forward in my article, ‘Miracles: metaphysics, physics and physicalism’, above (125–147) are, argues Robert Larmer, both unnecessary and unworkable. Here, I try more clearly to explain that my goal of saving important physicalist intuitions that are incompatible with both the ‘open-systems’ and ‘exemption’ approaches’ use of powerful ceteris paribus clauses. I also defend the two mechanisms proposed in the paper from Larmer's criticisms.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Religious Studies, 2008
Debates about the metaphysical compatibility between miracles and natural laws often appear to pr... more Debates about the metaphysical compatibility between miracles and natural laws often appear to prejudge the issue by either adopting or rejecting a strong physicalist thesis (the idea that the physical is all that exists). The operative component of physicalism is a causal closure principle: that every caused event is a physically caused event. If physicalism and this strong causal closure principle are accepted, then supernatural interventions are ruled out tout court, while rejecting physicalism gives miracles metaphysical carte blanche. This paper argues for a more moderate version of physicalism that respects important physicalist intuitions about causal closure while allowing for miracles' logical possibility. A recent proposal for a specific mechanism for the production of miracles (Larmer (1996d)) is criticized and rejected. In its place, two separate mechanisms (suitable for deterministic and indeterministic worlds, respectively) are proposed that do conform to a more mo...
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Physics Letters A, 2004
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The European Physical Journal B, 2014
ABSTRACT
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Religious Studies, May 2, 2008
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Religious Studies, 2008
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