@KennethLPearce

I read old books and am confused about God. Philosophy Prof, @JMU_Phil_Rel (formerly @TCDPhilosophy). Latest book: Is There a God?, https://xitter.cf/t.co/PLoGNQKzBn

 Harrisonburg, VA
kennypearce.net
Joined February 2021
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The official preprint of "Metaphysical Symmetry and the Modal Ontological Argument" is now available (open access!) from Religious Studies: doi.org/10.1017/S00344125261…

Metaphysical symmetry and the modal ontological argument | Religious Studies | Cambridge Core

Metaphysical symmetry and the modal ontological argument

cambridge.org
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For the first time, I put a reading comprehension section on my exam (gave my students a one-page excerpt from an early modern text they hadn't seen before & asked questions about it). I need more practice writing these kinds of exam materials, but I'm definitely doing it again.
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It's great for determining who has actually been working through the assigned texts and figuring out how to read them for themselves, and it's also great info for me to know what they're having trouble with that we can work on in class.
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In case you are curious, I used an excerpt from this lovely book, which I am CERTAIN no one had studied in a class before! 🙂
An Account of Mr. Lock's Religion, Out of his Own Writings, and in his Own Words.

ALT An Account of Mr. Lock's Religion, Out of his Own Writings, and in his Own Words.

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For their midterm exam I had my students write an essay on the continuing relevance of a quote they recorded in their common place books, and I am loving the analyses of the relevance of Locke's comments on the epistemic vices of sectarianism to present-day partisan polarization.
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Kenny Pearce retweeted
Eric Schwitzgebel@eschwitzOct 15
Friends and readers: I have cancer. The type of cancer is not yet fully confirmed, but all signs point toward kidney cancer that has spread to my hips, back, and pleura. On the bright side, all my blood tests so far are normal, suggesting that the cancer is moving slowly, 1/6
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In his contribution to this book (cambridge.org/core/books/pas…), Alan Hajék introduces the constant '🙂' to stand for the expected utility of wagering that God exists. That is all.

Pascal's Wager

Cambridge Core - Philosophy of Religion - Pascal's Wager

cambridge.org
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Teaching Locke’s Essay in the context of a class on religion and politics this semester was great! Starting with how Locke’s argument for religious toleration appeals to the claim that no one can know for sure that their religion is true...
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...and then looking to the Essay for the epistemology that supports that claim really kept students engaged, & they picked up on a lot of religious content in the Essay that even serious scholars often miss.
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John Locke (1689) on partisan polarization: "the greatest part of the partizans of most of the sects in the world…have [no] opinions of their own…They are resolved to stick to a party, that education or interest has engaged them in...
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...for what reason should we think, that he beats his head about the opinions of his church, and troubles himself to examine the grounds of this or that doctrine? It is enough for him to obey his leaders, to have his hand and his tongue ready for the support of the common cause…
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...Thus men become professors of, and combatants for those opinions they were never convinced of…no, nor ever had so much as floating in their heads.” (EHU. §4.20.18)
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Great feature about my colleague @CyrilUyII in the latest @JMUCAL alumni magazine: jmu.edu/news/cal/2026/09/29-…

Jam sessions, scholarship and excellence in the classroom

On campus, Cyril V. Uy II is innovative scholar, dedicated educator and committed mentor — off campus, he is all that and more.

jmu.edu
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Kenny Pearce retweeted
Phil Hoyeck
@PAHoyeckSep 24
BREAKING: The location of Plato’s Cave is reportedly “100% confirmed” after 2,300 years, following the discovery of an astonishing “man-made” hole in the ground containing “suspicious-looking shadows,” per the Daily Mail.
Leading Report
@LeadingReportSep 23
Noah’s Ark resting place is reportedly “100% confirmed” after 4,300 years, following the discovery of an astonishing “man-made” structure buried deep underground, per Daily Mail.
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Many of the worst arguments for the existence of God are found in this book: archive.org/details/antidote… My favorites are the argument from the sick horse that got better after being branded with an 'S' for 'Satan' & the argument from the completely true story of the Pied Piper.

An antidote against atheism; or, An appeal to the naturall faculties of the minde of man, whether...

An appendix to the late Antidote against atheism. Where is contained an answer to certain objections made against several passages thereof (p. [291]-398) has special t.p. without date

archive.org
Phil Hoyeck
@PAHoyeckSep 21
What are some of the worst philosophical arguments of all time?
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Word of the day: ‘opiniatrety’. “The floating of other Mens Opinions in our brains makes us not one jot more knowing…What in them was Science, is in us but Opiniatrety, whilst we…do not..employ our own Reason to understand those Truths.” (Locke, Essay, §1.4.23)
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Discussing Employment Division v. Smith in class today (on the influence of Locke’s theory of toleration in the US) & finding it funny that the plaintiffs are actually named ‘Smith’ and ‘Black’ like an analytic philosopher’s thought experiment. No ‘Jones’ in here, though.
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Page proofs! (Hurrah!) The necessity operators have become question marks. (Boo!)
Religious Studies (2026), 1–13 doi:10.1017/S0034412526101905 O R I G I N A L A RT I C L E Metaphysical symmetry and the modal ontological argument Kenneth L. Pearce1 and Ted Poston2 Q1 1Philosophy and Religion, James Madison University, USA and 2 Q2 The University of Alabama, USA Corresponding author: Kenneth L. Pearce; Email: pearcekl@jmu.edu (Received 17 April 2026 UTC; revised 31 August 2026 UTC; accepted 7 September 2026 UTC) Abstract Q3 Fritz, Lo, and Schmid (2026) argue that the symmetry problem for the modal ontological argument dissolves in modal logics weaker than S5, where (P1) ? (g →?g), (P2) ?g, and (P2*) ?¬g are jointly consistent. We grant their formal results but deny their dialectical conclusion. The symmetry problem is not dissolved but relocated. Their atheist advantage in S4 depends on privileging (P1) over its mirror, (P1*) ? (¬g →?¬g). We argue that the principal metaphysical frameworks relevant to (P1) – including dispositional modality, actualist constraints toge

ALT Religious Studies (2026), 1–13 doi:10.1017/S0034412526101905 O R I G I N A L A RT I C L E Metaphysical symmetry and the modal ontological argument Kenneth L. Pearce1 and Ted Poston2 Q1 1Philosophy and Religion, James Madison University, USA and 2 Q2 The University of Alabama, USA Corresponding author: Kenneth L. Pearce; Email: [email protected] (Received 17 April 2026 UTC; revised 31 August 2026 UTC; accepted 7 September 2026 UTC) Abstract Q3 Fritz, Lo, and Schmid (2026) argue that the symmetry problem for the modal ontological argument dissolves in modal logics weaker than S5, where (P1) ? (g →?g), (P2) ?g, and (P2*) ?¬g are jointly consistent. We grant their formal results but deny their dialectical conclusion. The symmetry problem is not dissolved but relocated. Their atheist advantage in S4 depends on privileging (P1) over its mirror, (P1*) ? (¬g →?¬g). We argue that the principal metaphysical frameworks relevant to (P1) – including dispositional modality, actualist constraints toge

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Not sure I have anything especially insightful to say about AI in the classroom, but I'm pleased that the student journalist for @BreezeNewsJMU chose to lead with a quote from me on my goals as a philosophy teacher. breezejmu.org/news/jmu-profe…

JMU professors are divided on how to use artificial intelligence

The advancement of artificial intelligence has conflicting consequences for students and faculty at JMU, prompting faculty to readjust their syllabi to protect academic honesty while still encourag...

breezejmu.org
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