# Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity



## RamistThomist (Nov 10, 2017)

Moreland, J.P. Baker Academic.

Since this is an earlier book of Moreland’s, and from what I assumed would be an introductory text, it is surprisingly good. Some of the chapters have been sharpened in his other works, but this is a good handbook on areas like substance dualism and the Kalaam argument.

Moreland lists several problems with an infinite universe, with infinite being understood as an actual infinite. An actual infinite is considered as a complete totality with an actual infinite amount of numbers. An actual infinite can neither increase nor decrease in the number of members it contains. Potential infinite: it increases its numbers through time. It is always finite. actual infinities cannot exist. A beginningless series of temporal events cannot exist. Therefore, the universe had a cause (22). If an actual infinite is possible, then the following puzzles occur:

Imagine a library with an infinite number of books. Each book has a different natural number. Further, there are an infinite number of red books and an infinite number of black books such that each even number is on a red book and each odd number is on a black book. Problem: there could be no red or black book added to the library because there would be no natural number for its cover. Further, if one took away all the red books, one would diminish the library by an actual number of infinite books. Yet one would still have the same number of books in the library. The Impossibility of traversing an actual infinite: you cannot cross the actual infinite by successive addition.

Moreland is known for his arguments relating to the philosophy of mind. He capably defends substance dualism and shows the problems with physicalism. His chapter on ethics was okay, but he has given more substantial arguments in Philosophical Foundations.

The book also contains a useful bibliography (which, again, has been updated in Philosophical Foundations).


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## Bill The Baptist (Nov 10, 2017)

This is one of my favorite introductory books on apologetics. I also enjoyed his later book on philosophy of science called Christianity and the Nature of Science. For those interested in a critique of theistic evolution, Moreland and others have compiled a new volume that is due out on November 30.


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## RamistThomist (Nov 10, 2017)

Bill The Baptist said:


> This is one of my favorite introductory books on apologetics. I also enjoyed his later book on philosophy of science called Christianity and the Nature of Science. For those interested in a critique of theistic evolution, Moreland and others have compiled a new volume that is due out on November 30. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1433...3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=jp+moreland



I'm looking forward to the new book.


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