Religious epistemology
Encyclopedia
Religious epistemology is a broad label for any approach to epistemological questions from a religious
perspective, or attempts to understand the epistemological issues that come from religious belief. The questions which epistemologists may ask about any particular belief also apply to religious beliefs and propositions: are they rational, justified, warranted, reasonable, based on evidence and so on. Religious views also influence epistemological theories, such as in the case of Reformed epistemology
.
Reformed epistemology has developed in contemporary Christian religious epistemology, such as the work of Alvin Plantinga
, William P. Alston, Nicholas Wolterstorff
and Kelly James Clark, as a critique of and alternative to the idea of "evidentialism" of the sort proposed by W. K. Clifford
. Alvin Plantinga, for instance, is critical of the evidentialist analysis of knowledge provided by Richard Feldman
and Earl Conee.
D. Z. Phillips
takes this further and says that the argument of the reformed epistemologists goes further and challenges a view he dubs "foundationalism":
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
perspective, or attempts to understand the epistemological issues that come from religious belief. The questions which epistemologists may ask about any particular belief also apply to religious beliefs and propositions: are they rational, justified, warranted, reasonable, based on evidence and so on. Religious views also influence epistemological theories, such as in the case of Reformed epistemology
Reformed epistemology
In the philosophy of religion, reformed epistemology is a school of thought regarding the epistemology of belief in God put forward by a group of Protestant Christian philosophers, most notably, Alvin Plantinga, William Alston, Nicholas Wolterstorff and Michael C. Rea...
.
Reformed epistemology has developed in contemporary Christian religious epistemology, such as the work of Alvin Plantinga
Alvin Plantinga
Alvin Carl Plantinga is an American analytic philosopher and the emeritus John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics, and Christian apologetics...
, William P. Alston, Nicholas Wolterstorff
Nicholas Wolterstorff
Nicholas Wolterstorff is an American philosopher and currently the Noah Porter Emeritus Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale University...
and Kelly James Clark, as a critique of and alternative to the idea of "evidentialism" of the sort proposed by W. K. Clifford
W. K. Clifford
W. K. Clifford may refer to:*William Kingdon Clifford, British mathematician and philosopher*Lucy Clifford Mrs W. K. Clifford, wife of the above, British novelist and journalist...
. Alvin Plantinga, for instance, is critical of the evidentialist analysis of knowledge provided by Richard Feldman
Richard Feldman
Richard Feldman is an American bicycle racer in time trialing, cyclocross and marathon mountain bike races. He rides for the Durance-Colnago team . In 2001, he was the first American to win the UCI world masters time trial championship, in St. Johann, Austria.He won five more rainbow jerseys in...
and Earl Conee.
D. Z. Phillips
D. Z. Phillips
Dewi Zephaniah Phillips , known as D. Z. Phillips, Dewi Z, or simply DZ, was a leading proponent of Wittgensteinian philosophy of religion and had a long academic career spanning five decades...
takes this further and says that the argument of the reformed epistemologists goes further and challenges a view he dubs "foundationalism":
- The essence of the Reformed challenge is to accuse the foundationalist of claiming to have a criterion of rationality which, in fact, he does not possess. By means of this alleged criterion the foundationalist claims to discern which epistemic practices are rational and which are not. Among those practices which are not rational, he claims, are those of religion.
See also
- Faith and rationalityFaith and rationalityFaith and rationality are two modes of belief that exist in varying degrees of conflict or compatibility. Rationality is belief based on reason or evidence. Faith is belief in inspiration, revelation, or authority...
- FideismFideismFideism is an epistemological theory which maintains that faith is independent of reason, or that reason and faith are hostile to each other and faith is superior at arriving at particular truths...
- Pascal's WagerPascal's WagerPascal's Wager, also known as Pascal's Gambit, is a suggestion posed by the French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist Blaise Pascal that even if the existence of God could not be determined through reason, a rational person should wager as though God exists, because one living life...
- Reformed epistemologyReformed epistemologyIn the philosophy of religion, reformed epistemology is a school of thought regarding the epistemology of belief in God put forward by a group of Protestant Christian philosophers, most notably, Alvin Plantinga, William Alston, Nicholas Wolterstorff and Michael C. Rea...
- Skeptical TheismSkeptical theismSkeptical theism is a view taken in response to the evidential problem of evil in the philosophy of religion. Skeptical theists accept that God exists and that we can know general truths about God but denies that in any particular case we can know the reasons for God acting in a particular way.-...