Ontological Quote by David Bentley Hart
““The claim that there cannot be an infinite regress of contingent ontological causes raises a truly difficult challenge to pure materialism; but to imagine that it can be extended to undermine the claim that there must be an absolute ontological cause is to fall prey to an obvious category error.””
About This Quote
The argument suggests that denying an infinite chain of dependent causes challenges materialism, yet extending that denial to reject a primary cause misapplies categories.
In simple terms: Infinite regress vs. absolute cause
Key Takeaway
Category errors undermine philosophical claims
Themes
metaphysics
ontology
philosophy of mind
causality
materialism
logic
Mood
analytical
critical
inquisitive
Type
argumentative
theoretical
When to use this quote
- debating cosmological arguments
- critiquing atheistic worldviews
- analyzing metaphysical frameworks
- teaching philosophy
- writing academic papers
Key Concepts
infinite regress
contingent causes
absolute cause
category error
Practical Applications
- philosophical essays
- lecture content
Questions to Reflect On
- Does denying infinite regress necessarily support materialism?
- How can we avoid category errors in metaphysical debates?
