On the Existence of God

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-IX

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2. Introduction: The Theoretical and Practical Interest of the Question of God’s Existence

   1. Introduction: The Theoretical and Practical Interest of the Question of God’s Existence

      • Franz Brentano

      Pages 11-18

3. Preliminary Inquiries

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 19-19

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   2. First Preliminary Inquiry: Is the Inquiry Superflous? The Contention that the Existence of God is Established a Priori

      • Franz Brentano

      Pages 20-50

   3. Second Preliminary Inquiry

      • Franz Brentano

      Pages 51-147

4. The Proofs of the Existence of God

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 149-149

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   2. A Survey of the Proofs Attempted throughout the History of Philosophy

      1. The Teleological Proof First Part: The Appearance of Teleology

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 155-212

      2. Second Part: The Reality of Teleology

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 213-259

      3. Third Part of the Teleological Proof from an Ordering Intelligence to a Creator

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 259-267

      4. The Proof from Motion

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 268-284

      5. The Proof from Contingency

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 285-289

      6. The Psychological Proof

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 290-301

      7. Completion of the Proof of the Existence of God

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 302-307

   3. The Train of Thought in the Proof of God’s Existence (1915)

      1. Part One: On the Necessity of All Existing Things

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 308-314

      2. Part Two: On the First, Directly Necessary Cause

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 315-330

      3. Part Three: Concerning Theodicy

         • Franz Brentano

         Pages 330-337

5. Back Matter

   Pages 338-360

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Of the works by Franz Brentano (1838-1917) which have appeared in thus far, perhaps none is better suited to convey a clear idea of the English spirit of the man that this volume of his lectures on proving the existence of God. In order to understand his metaphysics, it would he better to read The Theory of Categories; in order to master the finer points of his psychology, it would be better to read Psychology From an Empirical Standpoint; in order to appreciate his ethical theory, it would be better to read The Origin of Our Knowledge of Right and Wrong or, for a more thorough treatment, The Foundation and Construction of Ethics. But in order to see what it was that gave Brentano the enthusiasm and dedication to do all that work and much more besides, it is necessary to find out what Brentano believed the philosophical enterprise itself to be; and this comes forth most vividly when he bends his philosophical efforts to the subject he considered most important of all, namely, natural theology. For, like Socrates, Brentano brought a kind of religious fervor to his philosophy precisely because he saw it as dealing much better than religion does with the matters that are closest to our hearts.

• Religion
• enthusiasm
• skepticism
• theology

Policies and ethics