Infinite Minds: A Philosophical Cosmology

Infinite Minds develops a Platonic creation story. The cosmos exists just because of the ethical need for it. We, and all the intricate structures of our universe, exist as intricately structured thoughts in a divine mind that knows everything worth knowing. There could also be infinitely many other universes in this mind, and after death we might explore the wonders of its knowledge. Minds of the same kind could exist in infinite number. In this original and thought-provoking book John Leslie unfolds his view of the nature of the universe, inspired by Spinoza, perhaps the greatest of the philosophical rationalists. Over the last three decades Leslie has been developing his theory in a series of path-breaking publications; now at last he gives it its definitive exposition. It may be hard to believe that the universe is as he says it is --but it is hard also to resist his compelling ideas and arguments.