Richard Swinburne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Swinburne
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Swinburne in 2009
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Richard Granville Swinburne
26 December 1934 Smethwick, England
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| Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford |
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Richard Granville Swinburne (born 26 December 1934) is a well-known English philosopher. He is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. For over 50 years, Swinburne has supported philosophical arguments for the existence of God. His main contributions are in the philosophy of religion and philosophy of science. His early books, like The Coherence of Theism and The Existence of God, caused a lot of discussion. He also helped bring back the idea of substance dualism in the philosophy of mind. This idea suggests that our minds and bodies are separate things.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Swinburne was born in Smethwick, England, on December 26, 1934. His father was a music teacher, and his mother worked as a secretary. Richard was an only child. He attended Charterhouse School before going to university.
Swinburne earned a top degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Exeter College, Oxford.
Academic Career and Main Ideas
Swinburne taught at several universities during his career. From 1972 to 1985, he was a professor at Keele University. Later, from 1985 until he retired in 2002, he held a special position at the University of Oxford. Even after retiring, he has continued to write and publish books regularly.
He has written many technical books on philosophy. He also wrote for a general audience. His book Is There a God? (1996) is very popular. It explains his arguments for God's existence in a simple way. This book has been translated into 22 languages.
In 1992, Swinburne became a Fellow of the British Academy. This is a great honor for scholars in the humanities and social sciences. He has also received several honorary doctorates from different universities.
Christian Beliefs and Arguments
Richard Swinburne is a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is known as a leading Christian apologist. This means he uses philosophy to argue that Christian faith is logical and makes sense. He believes that God exists and that Christian beliefs are rational.
One of his important ideas is about personal identity. He believes that our identity comes from our soul, which is separate from our body. He also defends free will, meaning we have true choices.
Swinburne converted from the Anglican Communion to Eastern Orthodoxy around 1996. He said that his basic beliefs did not change much. He always believed in the Apostolic succession, which means the Church's authority comes directly from the Apostles.
Swinburne's way of thinking is similar to that of Thomas Aquinas, an old philosopher. Swinburne builds his arguments step by step. He starts with basic philosophical questions, like whether God could exist. Then, he moves to more specific Christian beliefs, like how God might communicate with people.
He tries to show that his Christian beliefs fit well with scientific evidence. He uses inductive logic, which means he looks at evidence and tries to find the best explanation for it.
Major Books
- Space and Time, 1968
- The Concept of Miracle, 1970
- The Coherence of Theism, 1977
- The Existence of God, 1979
- Faith and Reason, 1981
- The Evolution of the Soul, 1986
- Miracles, 1989
- Responsibility and Atonement, 1989
- Revelation, 1991
- The Christian God, 1994
- Is There a God?, 1996
- Providence and the Problem of Evil, 1998
- Epistemic Justification, 2001
- The Resurrection of God Incarnate, 2003
- Was Jesus God?, 2008
- Mind, Brain, and Free Will, 2013
- Are We Bodies or Souls?, 2019
See also
In Spanish: Richard Swinburne para niños
