1923 – 2018
Adolf Grünbaum (1923–2018) was a German-American philosopher of science, long associated with the University of Pittsburgh, where he held the Andrew Mellon Chair in Philosophy. He made foundational contributions to the philosophy of physics and space-time, and was one of the most rigorous analytic critics of both Freudian psychoanalysis and theistic arguments, including cosmological arguments for the existence of God.
Developed a sustained analytic critique of cosmological arguments for God's existence, distinguishing them carefully from ontological arguments
Authored foundational work in the philosophy of space, time, and geometry, including 'Philosophical Problems of Space and Time' (1963)
Produced a landmark philosophical critique of Freudian psychoanalysis in 'The Foundations of Psychoanalysis' (1984)
Argued that the universe's existence requires no external cause, challenging the Principle of Sufficient Reason as applied to cosmology
Long-serving president of the Philosophy of Science Association and recipient of the Lakatos Award
Divine creative intervention is not causally necessary for the nonconservative appearance of new matter in steady-state cosmology.
claimThe cosmological argument does not rely on notions central to the ontological argument and, if sound, gives us reason to think that the necessary being exists rather than not.