Frequently, alleged irreconcilable conflicts between science and religion are instead misdescribed battles concerning negotiable philosophical assumptions--conflicts between metaphysics and metaphysics. Hud Hudson provides a two-stage illustration of this claim with respect to the putative inconsistency between the doctrines of The Fall and Original Sin and the deliverances of contemporary science. The tension in question emerges through a study of the many forms the religious doctrines have assumed over the centuries and through a review of some well-established scientific lessons on the origin and history of the universe and of human persons. The first stage: After surveying various paths of retreat which involve reinterpreting and impoverishing Original Sin and minimizing and dehistoricizing The Fall, one version of moderate realism about the doctrines is articulated, critically evaluated, and found both consistent with contemporary science and suitable to play a crucial role in the theist's confrontation with the Problem of Evil. The second stage: Recent work in the philosophy of time and in the philosophy of religion provides intriguing support for a Hypertime Hypothesis (a species of multiverse hypothesis), distinctive for positing a series of successive hypertimes, each of which hosts a spacetime block. After arguing that the Hypertime Hypothesis is a genuine epistemic possibility and critically discussing its impact on a number of debates in metaphysics and philosophy of religion, Hudson reveals a strategy for unabashed, extreme literalism concerning The Fall and Original Sin which nevertheless has the extraordinary and delightful feature of being thoroughly consistent with the reigning scientific orthodoxy.

About the Author
Hud Hudson is a professor of philosophy at Western Washington University. He works primarily in the areas of metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and the history of modern philosophy, and has published numerous articles in a variety of journals including Nous, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Philosophical Studies, and The Journal of Philosophy. He is the author of The Metaphysics of Hyperspace (OUP, 2005), A Materialist Metaphysics of the Human Person (Cornell University Press, 2001), and Kant's Compatibilism (Cornell University Press, 1994).

Reviews
... a brilliant and creative defense ... the reader of Hudson's book will be richly rewarded with penetrating and creative discussion of theology, epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of religion applied to one of the major disputes of our day regarding the rational status of religious beliefs. * Trent Dougherty, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *
this is an outstanding book from a creative and rigorous philosopher, and its arguments deserve careful engagement. * Klass Kraay, The Philosophical Quarterly *
The contribution of Hudson's new book to the philosophy of religion is profound ... not only has Hudson given us a fascinating tour of the account of the fall and an accessible account of the current state of the metaphysics of time; he has also showcased a method by which metaphysics can recast debates that were previously thought to be purely empirical. * Sam Lebens and Tyron Goldschmidt, Journal of Analytic Theology *
Everyone should read this book, just to say you've had the experience. Hudson, a first-rate philosopher, argues with Plantingan chutzpah that the most literal rendition of Adam's fall and original sin can be made entirely consistent with everything we know from mainstream science. The book is artfully conceived, analytically rich, and playfully witty * Hans Madueme, Journal of Analytic Theology *
I found this book interesting and rewarding, as well as a real pleasure to read. It's a sustained defense of a rather provocative thesis, using original arguments in metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of time, space, personal identity, and the philosophy of religion. * Natalja Deng, Journal of Analytic Theology *
With nothing short of pure mastery, Hud Hudson sets out to challenge the presumptive ways in which some people can overestimate the scope of science in The Fall and Hypertime ... its primary contribution lies in its capacity to deliver a deep appreciation of the place and scope of metaphysics in the interpretation of Scripture and, perhaps, a humbler perception of the capacity of science to call into question a theological view of history. * Andrew Torrance, Journal of Analytic Theology *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198712695
Author Hud Hudson
Format Hardback
Page Count 226
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 161mm * 22mm