The Legitimacy of Miracle

The core contention of The Legitimacy of Miracle is that a priori philosophical dismissals of the possibility or probability of justified belief in miracles fail. Whether or not it is rational to believe that events best understood as miracles actually occur is not to be decided on the basis of armchair theorizing, but rather on the basis of meticulous examination of the evidence. Such examination, however, needs to be set free from unwarranted assumptions that miracles are “impossible, improbable, or improper.” Philosophical analysis can play an important role in clearing away conceptual underbrush and question-begging presuppositions, but it cannot take the place of detailed consideration of historical and contemporary evidence. Robert Larmer demonstrates that the proper role of philosophy, as regards to the belief in miracles, is to provide an in-principle rejection of in-principle arguments either for or against. The arguments contained in this book will be of particular interest to students and scholars of philosophy, theology, history, and religious studies, though it is written in a style accessible to anyone interested in a philosophical examination of belief in miracles.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Chapter 1: Divine Agency, Miracles and the Biblical Data Chapter 2: Defining Miracle Chapter 3: Home's A Priori Epistemological Argument Chapter 4: Further Epistemological Challenges Chapter 5: Miracle as a Pseudo-Concept Chapter 6: Miracles and Evidence Chapter 7: Miracles and Theism Chapter 8: Miracles and Christianity Epilogue Appendix: Four Healing Cases

About the Author :
Robert Larmer is professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of New Brunswick.

Review :
If you are a philosopher religion whose research area is miracles, the book is a must-read. If you are philosopher of religion whose research area is not miracles, then, as the book connects with core topics in this field, it will prove a valuable read. Larmer…approaches the task of explication and defense of miracles with rigor and a broad appreciation of important arguments on the topic. His background in philosophy is in clear evidence everywhere. . . .Larmer’s book is a careful discussion of many topics central to the age-old concept of miracle, and will be profitable to anyone studying the topic. “I thoroughly enjoyed this work and learned much from it. This book is carefully organized, closely reasoned, relentlessly logical, and engaged with a broad range of conversation partners. Sophisticated yet accessible to the interested nonspecialist, it moves the discussion forward on a number of key points.” “This is a masterful work of philosophical maturity. Patient, meticulous, and well-informed, Robert A. Larmer systematically disarms the philosophical, theological and scientific case against miracles. He completes his case by showing that Christian theism is the best explanation of well-attested biblical and contemporary miracle reports. Intellectual honesty will require skeptics to reconsider their position. Highly recommended.”