Programska knjižica - Hrvatsko filozofsko društvo

sazdan nekom fatalnom nužnošću, ili da odvijeka postoji sam po sebi upravljajući
se po nekim svojim nužnim zakonima« (De anima et Deo, n. 539, u
Stipišićevu prijevodu).
U ovom izlaganju pozabavit ćemo se načinom na koji Bošković pokušava
dokazati Boga, atributima (svojstvima) koje mu pripisuje i vidjeti u kojoj
su mjeri njegove teze o Bogu prihvatljive sa stajališta suvremene (analitičke)
filozofije religije.
Ključne riječi: Bošković, dokazivanje Božje egzistencije, Božja svojstva
BOŠKOVIĆ’S THOUGHTS ABOUT GOD IN THE LIGHT
OF CONTEMPORARY (ANALYTICAL)
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Ruđer Bošković is one of the most famous Croatian scientist and philosopher
of all times. He is especially known for his theories in physics, mathematics
and astronomy, with which his contemporaries were well familiar. When
it comes to philosophy, he is best known in the context of natural philosophy
and philosophy of science.
As a Jesuit he certainly had strong faith in God, although he never wrote
anything exclusively devoted to this theme. However, in his most famous work
Theory of natural philosophy, he included an appendix dedicated to the soul
and God, in which he exposes, on ten pages, his views on God. It is obvious
that he was very familiar with the on-going debates about God. It seems that the
ultimate explanation of nature he finds in theology or philosophy of religion,
because as he himself says: “Now, as regards the Divine Founder of Nature
Himself, there shines forth very clearly in my Theory, not only the necessity of
admitting His existence in every way, but also His excellent and infinite Power,
Wisdom, and Foresight; which demand from us the most humble veneration,
along with a grateful heart, and loving affection. The truly groundless dreams
of those, who think that the Universe could have been founded either by some
fortuitous chance or some necessity of fate, or that it existed of itself from
all eternity dependent on necessary laws of its own, all these must altogether
come to nothing.” (On soul and God, n. 539, in Child’s translation)
In this presentation we will address Bošković’s attempt to prove God, primarily
through the properties he attributes to Him. Furthermore, we shall see
the extent to which his thesis of God is acceptable from the standpoint of contemporary
(analytic) philosophy of religion.
Ključne riječi: Bošković, proofs of God’s existence, God’s attributes
153