Reason and Faith

Question 1

Faith as an attitude/commitment

Answer 1

William James:
It is reasonable to decide to believe when faced with a ‘genuine option’. Religious belief is a
- ‘forced’ and ‘momentous’ choice between claims that are ‘live’
- a choice that is not settled by intellectual inquiry.

Søren Kierkegaard:
Faith is distinct from ‘objective’ belief, it is held passionately. Faith requires a ‘leap’ into objective uncertainty. Reason has its limits. Faith might lie outside of these limits. To achieve it, we must jump.

Faith = unreasonable?
James and Kierkegaard both argue that faith is NOT unreasonable.

Question 2

Rational to choose to believe in God

Answer 2

Pascal’s Wager:
Because reason cannot prove the existence/non-existence of God, we should decide what to believe by the possible benefits of the beliefs. It is better to believe because the consequences are nicer than if we choose not to believe and get it wrong.

Objection:

1) It is immoral to form beliefs about God in this way.
2) We don’t know that belief in God, if God exists, will produce infinite gain.
3) Pascal argues from a philosophical viewpoint, not a theological one. He reduces faith down to a bet. Faith doesn’t work in this way.

Question 3

Faith as a special kind of cognitive state

Answer 3

Aquinas (revelation):
Reason can infer God’s existence and some of God’s attributes. However, much about God’s name can be known only through revelation. Faith in God’s revelation is voluntary. The disposition to believe is given to us by God (innate).

Plantinga (Basic):
Religious beliefs are ‘basic’ - not inferred from other beliefs we have.