Faith And Reason Flashcards
Define Faith
a special kind of cognitive state
Define Reason
statement used as justification for belief
Who said Faith and Reason must cohere together
St Thomas Aquinas
As rational beings what is our greatest happiness found in
Raitional activity (Aquinas)
What are some criticisms to Aquinas
1- Some truths about God go beyond human reason
2- Intellect is dependent upon our sensory experience, we are NOT able to infer God’s nature.
Name the view that ALL beliefs should be proportionate to the evidence
Evidentialism
What does Plantinga say about evidentialism
Not all beliefs can be based on evidence because every belief would have to rest on other beliefs
What makes a belief ‘Basic’
When it is not accepted on the basis of other beliefs (Plantinga)
What does Plantinga say all religious beliefs are
Basic
What are some criticisms to Plantinga
1- Reformed Theology argues that beliefs are based upon rational arguments
2- Aquinas- our limited intellect can at least know that God exists through reason
What did William James say about belief
It can sometimes be right to believe in something without sufficient evidence when we face a GENUINE OPTION
Describe the 3 conditions that are needed to create a GENUINE OPTION
1- The alternatives for what to believe (eg. ‘God exists’ ‘God does not exist’) are LIVE, meaning a person feels that they could believe either.
2. Alternative exclude each other, meaning both can not be true, the choice between them is FORCED.
3. Alternatives are MOMENTOUS rather than trivial (eg. it is the only chance to get it right)
(James)
What does W. K. Clifford say
There are TWO goals for belief:
1- Avoid error
2- Secure the truth
In the case of GENUINE OPTION if intellect can’t decide then emotions MUST
How does Soren Kiekegaard see religious belief
- Not a philosophical system but a PASSIONATE COMMITMENT
- It is INCOMPREHENSIBLE
What can’t be establish intellectually
A ‘leap of faith’ (Kiekegaard)
