Looking for Bahnsen's Doctoral Thesis

[Brian Kooshian]

Does anyone know where I can find the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen's doctoral thesis "A Conditional Resolution of the Apparent Paradox of Self-Deception"?

I searched the USC thesis database, and it said that it was missing . . .

 

[Wayne]

One of the databases attached to OCLC's WorldCat service is a dissertation database, which you should be able to access from a university or seminary library.

A search on that database shows the following libraries hold copies of that dissertation [OCLC 3 letter codes at the end of each entry] :

US,CA MASTERS SEMINARY LIBR MSV
US,CA WESTMINSTER SEMINARY CALIFORNIA TGW
US,FL REFORMED THEOL SEMINARY, ORLANDO CAM FTO
US,IL WHEATON COL ICW
US,MS REFORMED THEOL SEMINARY MRT
US,PA WESTMINSTER THEOL SEMINARY WTS
US,TN MID-AMERICAN BAPTIST THEOL SEMINARY TBT
US,CA UNIV OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CSL
US,MI DETROIT BAPTIST THEOL SEMINARY D9B

Since Detroit is 3 hours away from your location, I'd suggest just putting in an interlibrary loan request at your nearest institution where you have lending privileges. With that many institutions holding copies, one or more should be willing to loan it out.

You can also purchase a copy via UMI

 

[beej6]

PA207

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, thought I had seen it on the 'Net...

 

[FenderPriest]

I got my copy by e-mailing the folks at Covenant Media Foundation. Or, you can download the .pdf of it here. I tried to upload it, but was limited to less than 1meg of space. If a mod want's to put it up, that'd be great. Hope this is what you're looking for. I really enjoyed his dissertation when I read it.

 

[Brian Kooshian]

Thanks for all the help!

FenderPriest -- I downloaded the pdf and saw that it carries a different title. Do you know if it's the same as the dissertation?

 

[FenderPriest]

Thanks for all the help!

FenderPriest -- I downloaded the pdf and saw that it carries a different title. Do you know if it's the same as the dissertation?

Yea, I saw that. When I scanned it, it looked like the categories in his dissertation. I'll look it over when I get the time at home and let you know.

 

[Wayne]

I should have included this information in my prior post: Bahnsen's dissertation was approved in 1978 or 1979 and is iii + 336 pages in length.

That length should confirm whether your .pdf is the dissertation or not.

 

[FenderPriest]

Wayne, I'm not sure that page count is accurate. I have a copy of his dissertation at home, and there's no way it's 336 pages long!

 

[markkoller]

I was looking for a copy of this a few months ago. Thanks for finding it!

 

[Wayne]

Jacob:

Here is the Worldcat entry for the dissertation, as held by the awarding institution, the University of Southern California:

Title: A conditional resolution of the apparent paradox of self-deception.
Author(s): Bahnsen, Gregory Lyle.
Year: 1978
Description: iii, 336 leaves. 29 cm.
Dissertation: Thesis--University of Southern California.
Language: English
SUBJECT(S)
Descriptor: Self-deception.
Knowledge, Theory of.
Note(s): Bibliography: leaves 325-336./ Order number: 2588G.
Material Type: Thesis/dissertation (deg); Manuscript (mss)
Document Type: Book; Archival Material
Date of Entry: 19790403
Update: 20020714
Accession No: OCLC: 4816825
Database: WorldCat

Most dissertations are of that length, or rather, used to be. Scholarship isn't what it used to be, and professors won't read lengthy dissertations any more, either.

 

[MMasztal]

Wayne, I'm not sure that page count is accurate. I have a copy of his dissertation at home, and there's no way it's 336 pages long!

If the dissertation was completed in 1978, it was before word processors were used so it was likely some on the old Remington electric. The link shows the dissertation was reformatted and put into it's current book form.

 

[FenderPriest]

Ah, well, as I pull mine out, I stand corrected! Right up to 336 pages with the bibliography.

As to the hard copy of the dissertation v. the .pdf that I loaded, I don't know why they renamed it, but it's the same document so far as I can tell. Personally, I'd much prefer the title, "A Conditional Resolution of the Apparent Paradox of Self-Deception" to whatever it is now, but maybe that's just me! It looks the same and has the same flow of argument from what I can tell.

For those who have the interest, it's a really good read. Slow at times, dense at others, but illuminating once you get into the issue. How can a man knowingly deceive himself and yet be honest in his deception? Interesting stuff to consider in the application of Romans 1:18ff. Happy reading!

 

[Brian Kooshian]

Thanks for all the help!