Overview Fideism

1 overview

1.1 history
1.2 theories of truth
1.3 tertullian
1.4 luther
1.5 blaise pascal , fideism
1.6 hamann , fideism
1.7 kierkegaard
1.8 james , believe
1.9 wittgenstein , fideism
1.10 fideism , presuppositional apologetics

overview

alvin plantinga defines fideism exclusive or basic reliance upon faith alone, accompanied consequent disparagement of reason , utilized in pursuit of philosophical or religious truth. fideist therefore urges reliance on faith rather reason, in matters philosophical , religious, , therefore may go on disparage claims of reason. fideist seeks truth, above all: , affirms reason cannot achieve kinds of truth, must instead accepted faith. plantinga s definition might revised fideist objects not reason per se—it seems excessive call blaise pascal anti-rational—but evidentialism: notion no belief should held unless supported evidence.

history

theories of truth

the doctrine of fideism consistent some, , radically contrary other theories of truth:

correspondence theory of truth
pragmatic theory of truth
constructivist epistemology
consensus theory of truth
coherence theory of truth
subjectivism

some forms of fideism outright reject correspondence theory of truth, has major philosophical implications. claim few religious details axiomatic.

tertullian

tertullian s de carne christi (on flesh of christ]). says ...the son of god died; means believed, because absurd. statement credo quia absurdum ( believe because absurd ), cited example of views of church fathers, appears misquotation of tertullian.

tertullian s statement, however, not fideist position; tertullian critiquing intellectual arrogance , misuse of philosophy, remained committed reason , usefulness in defending faith.

luther

martin luther taught faith informs christian s use of reason. regarding mysteries of christian faith, wrote, articles of our christian faith, god has revealed in word, in presence of reason sheerly impossible, absurd, , false. , reason greatest enemy faith has. however, luther conceded that, grounded upon faith in christ, reason can used in proper realm, wrote, before faith , knowledge of god reason darkness in divine matters, through faith turned light in believer , serves piety excellent instrument. natural endowments serve further impiety in godless, serve further salvation in godly. eloquent tongue promotes faith; reason makes speech clear, , helps faith forward. reason receives life faith; killed , brought life.

blaise pascal , fideism

blaise pascal

another form of fideism assumed pascal s wager. blaise pascal invites atheist considering faith see faith in god cost-free choice carries potential reward. not attempt argue god indeed exists, might valuable assume true. of course, problem pascal s wager not restrict specific god, although pascal did have in mind christian god mentioned in following quote. in pensées, pascal writes:

who blame christians not being able give reasons beliefs, since profess belief in religion cannot explain? declare, when expound world, foolishness, stultitiam; , complain because not prove it! if proved it, not keep word; through lack of proofs show not lacking in sense.

pascal contests various proposed proofs of existence of god irrelevant. if proofs valid, beings propose demonstrate not congruent deity worshiped historical faiths, , can lead deism instead of revealed religion: god of abraham, isaac, , jacob—not god of philosophers!

hamann , fideism

considered father of modern antirationalism, johann georg hamann promoted view elevated faith alone guide human conduct. using work of david hume argued people based on faith. without faith (for can never proven) in existence of external world, human affairs not continue; therefore, argued, reasoning comes faith: fundamental human condition. attempts base belief in god using reason in vain. attacks systems spinozism try confine feels infinite majesty of god finite human creation.

kierkegaard

natural theologians may argue kierkegaard fideist of general sort—that god s existence cannot known, , decision accept faith neither founded on, nor needs, rational justification—may found in writings of søren kierkegaard , followers in christian existentialism. many of kierkegaard s works, including fear , trembling, under pseudonyms; may represent work of fictional authors views correspond hypothetical positions, not held kierkegaard himself.

in fear , trembling, kierkegaard focused on abraham s willingness sacrifice isaac. new testament apostles repeatedly argued abraham s act admirable display of faith. eyes of non-believer, however, must have appeared unjustifiable attempted murder, perhaps fruit of insane delusion. kierkegaard used example focus attention on problem of faith in general. affirmed believe in incarnation of christ, in god made flesh, believe in absolute paradox , since implies eternal, perfect being become simple human. reason cannot possibly comprehend such phenomenon; therefore, 1 can believe in taking leap of faith .

james , believe

american pragmatic philosopher , psychologist william james introduced concept of believe in 1896. following upon earlier theories of truth, james argued religious questions can answered believing in first place: 1 cannot know if religious doctrines true without seeing if work, cannot said work unless 1 believes them in first place.

william james published many works on subject of religious experience. 4 key characteristics of religious experience are: passivity , ineffability , noetic quality , transiency . due fact religious experience fundamentally ineffable, impossible hold coherent discussion of using public language. means religious belief cannot discussed effectively, , reason not affect faith. instead, faith found through experience of spiritual, , understanding of belief gained through practice of it.

wittgenstein , fideism

the philosopher ludwig wittgenstein did not write systematically religion, though did lecture on topic. of students notes have been collected , published. on other hand, has been asserted religion form of life intrigued wittgenstein great degree. in 1967 article, entitled wittgensteinian fideism, kai nielsen argues aspects of wittgenstein s thought have been interpreted wittgensteinians in fideistic manner. according position, religion self-contained—and expressive—enterprise, governed own internal logic or grammar . view—commonly called wittgensteinian fideism—states: (1) religion logically cut off other aspects of life; (2) religious concepts , discourse self-referential; , (3) religion cannot criticized external (i.e., non-religious) point of view. although there other aspects associated phenomena of wittgensteinian fideism, kai nielsen has argued such interpretations implausible misrepresentations of position. worth noting, however, no self-proclaimed wittgensteinian takes nielsen s analysis @ representative of either wittgenstein s view, or own. true of best-known wittgensteinian philosopher of religion, d. z. phillips, best-known wittgensteinan fideist. in book wittgensteinian fideism? (scm press, 2005) d. z. phillips , kai nielsen debate status of wittgensteinian fideism. both agree position collapses, though think fails different reasons. nielsen, position socially , politically irresponsible since ignores prudential, practical, , pragmatic considerations basis criticizing different language games. phillips, position fails because not wittgensteinian, , caricature of position. amongst other charges, nielsen argues, forcefully in article entitled on obstacles of will, phillips wittgensteinian view relevantly fideistic , it, therefore, fails on grounds cannot account possibility of external, cultural criticism. phillips, in turn, in last article in book, entitled wittgenstein: contemplation , cultural criticism, argues position not wittgensteinian @ all, , wittgenstein s considered view not allows possibility of external, cultural criticism, advances philosophical discussion concerning it.

fideism , presuppositional apologetics

presuppositional apologetics christian system of apologetics associated calvinist protestantism; attempts distinguish fideism. holds human thought must begin proposition revelation contained in bible axiomatic, rather transcendentally necessary, else 1 not able make sense of human experience (see epistemic foundationalism). non-believer rejects notion truth god, world, , can found within bible, presuppositional apologist attempts demonstrate incoherence of epistemic foundations of logical alternative use of has come known transcendental argument god s existence (tag). on other hand, presuppositional apologists, such cornelius van til, believe such condition of true unbelief impossible, claiming people believe in god (even if on subconscious level), whether admit or deny it.

presuppositional apologetics seen being more closely allied foundationalism fideism, though has been critical of both.