Rational and Experiential Grounds for Belief in God: the Teleological Argument in the Work of Charlee Hartshorne

Abstract

<p>The question behind this thesis is "What does Charles Hartshorne conceive to be the rational and experiential grounds for belief in God?". This question is approached through a study of Hartshorne's distinctive formulation of the teleological argument and the central features of that argument. Attention is given to the components of Hartshorne's natural theology in order to establish the context within which to approach Hartshorne's formulation of the argument, to the principles of his metaphysics which I see to underpin his formulation, to the proper manner in which to conceive of the argument, the cosmic organism analogy, and to his proposed solution to the problem of evil.</p>