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Atheistic Platonism

A Manifesto

  • Book
  • © 2023

Overview

Authors:
  1. Eric Charles Steinhart

    1. Philosophy, William Paterson University, Wayne, USA

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  • Argues that an atheistic metaphysics based on Platonism succeeds where both theism and materialism fail
  • Shows how Platonism helps atheists account for value, meaning, purpose, morality, and life after death
  • Uses Platonism to define a positive atheistic way of life with a rich system of spiritual symbols and practices

Part of the book series: Palgrave Frontiers in Philosophy of Religion (PFPR)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Renewing Atheism

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 1-37

  3. Starting at the Bottom

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 39-58

  4. The One Emanates the Forms

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 59-83

  5. The Cosmic Forms

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 85-119

  6. The World Tree

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 121-142

  7. The Emergence of Value

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 143-169

  8. Emergence of Life

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 171-200

  9. Platonism as a Way of Life

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 201-244

  10. Multiverse Rebirth

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 245-273

  11. To Call the World Tree

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 275-303

  12. Atheistic Mysticism

    • Eric Charles Steinhart
    Pages 305-333

  13. Back Matter

    Pages 335-343
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Keywords

About this book

Atheistic Platonism is an alternative to both theism and nihilistic atheism. It shows how any jobs allegedly done by God are better done by impersonal Platonic objects. Without Platonic objects, atheism degenerates into an illogical nihilism.  Atheistic Platonism instead provides reality with foundations that are eternal, necessary, rational, beautiful, and utterly mindless. It argues for a plenitude of mathematical objects, and an infinite plurality of possible universes. It provides mindless rational grounds for objective values, and for objective moral laws for the persons who evolve in universes. It defines a meaningful way of life, which facilitates self-improvement. Atheistic Platonists argue for computational theories of life after death. Atheistic Platonism includes a rich system of spiritual symbols. It values transformational practices and ecstatic experiences. Where atheisms based on materialism fail, atheisms based on Platonism succeed.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Philosophy, William Paterson University, Wayne, USA

    Eric Charles Steinhart

About the author

Eric Charles Steinhart is Professor of Philosophy at William Paterson University.  Among many articles and books, he has authored Your Digital Afterlives: Computational Theories of Life after Death and Believing in Dawkins: The New Spiritual Atheism.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Atheistic Platonism

  • Book Subtitle: A Manifesto

  • Authors: Eric Charles Steinhart

  • Series Title: Palgrave Frontiers in Philosophy of Religion

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17752-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-17751-4Published: 01 December 2022

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-17754-5Published: 02 December 2023

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-17752-1Published: 30 November 2022

  • Series ISSN: 2634-6176

  • Series E-ISSN: 2634-6184

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: IX, 343

  • Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Philosophy of Religion, History of Philosophy

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