Kierkegaard & Fideism

1. Kierkegaard & Fideism • Fideism • The position that religious belief-systems are not subject to rational evaluation (Michael Peterson et al, Reason & Religious Belief: an Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion, 2nd ed. (NY: Oxford UP, 1998) 49). • Søren Kierkegaard (Danish, 1813-1855) • Two ways of knowing • Objective • Subjective Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 1

2. Kierkegaard & Fideism • Which is appropriate for religious faith? • Religious truth: “the venture which chooses an objective uncertainty with passion of the infinite” (982nd). Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 2

3. drawing of Kierkegaard • by his 2nd cousin, Niels Christian Kierkegaard • c. 1840 • Royal Library, Copenhagen Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 3

4. Kierkegaard & Fideism • Faith & risk & dread • Faith & the absurd • Critical evaluation of Fideism • How does one decide which religious faith to jump to? (James Jone’s People’s Temple, Jonestown, Guyana, 1978) Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 4

5. Kierkegaard & Fideism • How does one arbitrate conflicts between a religious belief-system & science? • The value of Fideism: religious faith is more than assent to cognitive claims; involves passion & trust & relationship with a person Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 5

6. Clifford’s strong rationalism • Strong rationalism - the position that “in order for a religious belief-system to be properly and rationally accepted, it must be possible to prove that the belief-system is true” (Peterson et al 45). • William Clifford (English, 1845-1879) • Story about ship owner Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 6

7. Clifford’s strong rationalism • Conclusion: The ship owner had “no right to believe on such evidence as was before him” & it was morally wrong for him to believe that it was safe to sail (Peterson 802nd). Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 7

8. Clifford’s strong rationalism • Clifford anticipates some objections • The actions were immoral, not the beliefs. • Clifford’s response: Belief & action cannot be separated; beliefs often, almost always, spill over into action • Hence all beliefs have a social dimension; they affect the lives of others. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 8

9. Clifford’s strong rationalism • This is why beliefs may be morally good or bad. • Therefore one has a moral obligation to accept only those beliefs based on evidence & careful reasoning (Peterson 842nd). • If evidence is lacking, one should withhold belief. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 9

10. Clifford’s strong rationalism • Application of his position to religion? • Critique of Clifford’s position • One may make an intellectual mistake & not be morally wrong for making such a mistake. • There is a difference between an intellectual mistake & a moral evil. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 10

11. Clifford’s strong rationalism • We often must act without sufficient knowledge (e.g., practice of medicine). • In his tacit application of his position to religion, he assumes that religious faith is a leap beyond reason & evidence. • John Polkinghorne: “You don’t have to commit intellectual suicide to be a person of religious faith.” Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 11

12. Critical rationalism • Critical rationalism - the position that “religious belief-systems can and must be rationally criticized and evaluated although conclusive proof is such a system is impossible” (Peterson et al 53). • Cover Ibn Rushd here Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 12

13. Aquinas on faith & reason • Aquinas (Italian, 1225-1274) • Two kinds of propositions about God Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 13

14. Aquinas on faith & reason • Arguments for the appropriateness that although truths about God are available through human reason, these same truths are also available through revelation (reason & revelation) Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 14

15. Aquinas on faith & reason • 1. The pragmatic argument • 2. Argument based on the frailty of human reason • Arguments for the appropriateness that there are some truths about God which are beyond human reason (revelation only) • [1. Argument based on the satisfaction of the transcendent nature of humans] Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 15

16. Aquinas on faith & reason • 2. Argument for richness of our knowledge of God • 3. Argument for plausibility that knowledge of God would be beyond the abilities of human reason • On the relationship between religious faith & reason: the harmony position (Peterson et al 712nd) • Principle vs practice Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 16

17. Aquinas on faith & reason • Concluding overview of Aquinas’s position • 1. Faith precedes reason • 2. Reason alone cannot arrive at many of the propositions of religious faith; but once these propositions are available (by revelation), reason can show that they are reasonable. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 17

18. Aquinas on faith & reason • 3. Religious faith is partly proposition; it makes truth-claims • 4. In principle, religious faith & reason are in harmony. • 5. In practice, they may conflict but when they do, reason must be wrong. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 18

19. Aquinas on faith & reason • Critique of Aquinas • On # 5, in view of our 20th century awareness of the historicity of the development of dogma & of the interpretation of scripture, why not say that in cases of conflict, both religious faith & reason must reassess their positions? Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 19

20. Assessment of critical rationalism • Concluding comments on critical rationalism in general • Religious belief-systems are worldviews. • Worldviews are very complex – include metaphysics, epistemology, & ethics. • Thus they are difficult to critically evaluate. • But it is possible. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 20

21. Assessment of critical rationalism • Some of the standards which may be used • internal & external consistency • explanatory power (does it offer a comprehensive view which is illuminating?) • agreement with experience • it offer a coherence unity Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 21

22. Assessment of critical rationalism • does it help us make sense of the actual living of our lives? Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 22

23. Assessment of critical rationalism • Finally, critical rationalism, since it holds that conclusive proof is never possible with respect to religious belief-systems, involves, as Kierkegaard claims, commitment which goes beyond pure rationality; it involves entrusting ourselves to something that goes beyond what we have conclusive proof for. Faith & Reason: Kierkegaard, Clifford, & Aquinas ~ slide 23