The Argument from Reason and Rational Agents by Timothy A Stratton

The Argument from Reason and Rational Agents by Timothy A Stratton

The Argument from Reason and Rational Agents explores the Argument from Reason, a powerful critique of naturalism that insists rational thought cannot be reduced to physical causes. Written at a mid-level, this co-authored volume bridges scholarly rigor and accessibility, making it suitable for classrooms and public readers alike. The book builds on the work of Charles Taliaferro, Stewart Goetz, and J.P. Moreland, while extending the discussion into contemporary territory: the rise of AI, digital cognition, panpsychism, cosmopsychism, and transhumanism. The authors argue that rational agency remains essential and uniquely human, grounded in consciousness and the irreducible nature of inference, freedom, and moral responsibility. At stake is nothing less than the meaning of human dignity, the viability of rational religion, and the coherence of our moral and intellectual lives.

Joshua R. Farris is a philosopher and theologian specializing in philosophy of mind, theological anthropology, and the intersection of science and religion.

Timothy A. Stratton is an analytic and systematic theologian specializing in the philosophy of free will, epistemology, and metaphysics.