ABSTRACT
Arguments for pro-theism and anti-theism typically make use of traditional theism and generic atheism. In my view, when the debate between pro-theists and anti-theists makes use of traditional theism and generic atheism, pro-theism clearly comes out on top. In this chapter, I consider whether this result changes if we bring axiarchism into the mix: I compare axiarchistic theism and axiarchistic atheism. I argue that if we compare axiarchistic atheism with axiarchistic theism, the case for anti-theism is strengthened. This is because, given axiarchism, atheistic worlds can (and will) house goods that are traditionally associated with theistic worlds. Ultimately, there is one good that axiarchistic atheism does not enable anti-theism to capture – namely, God's intrinsic unlimited goodness – and I argue that this shows that there is still a gap between pro-theism and anti-theism; while the gap has been substantially narrowed, it has not been eliminated.
