abdorrahim soleimani
Volume 3, Issue 1 , February 2015, , Pages 21-41
Abstract
While John Hick, a contemporary famous British philosopher of religion, considers himself as a Christian, he believes in religious pluralism. This means that he considers other faiths as being right and salvational as well. He says that the study of the status of believers in different faiths necessities ...
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While John Hick, a contemporary famous British philosopher of religion, considers himself as a Christian, he believes in religious pluralism. This means that he considers other faiths as being right and salvational as well. He says that the study of the status of believers in different faiths necessities the acceptance of religious pluralism. In the second step, mythologizing the fundamental teachings of Christianity, he tries to escape from Christian exclusivity, and compromises between Christianity and pluralism. In the third step, he maintains that since faiths look at the sublime truth from different perspectives, each sees part of the truth. Also, holding that the purpose of religious propositions is not to give information to human beings about the reality but to bring about internal changes in them, he solves the conflicts between different faiths. This article aims to show that Hick has neither been successful in compromising between Christianity and pluralism nor in solving the conflicts between the claims of the faiths.
Qasem Akhavan
Volume 2, Issue 2 , January 2014, , Pages 21-34
Abstract
Functionalist approach draws much attention in social sciences based on which social phenomena, especially religion are studied. This approach which is rooted in positivism asserts that any social phenomenon should be studied taking into account its role and duty in a system. This paper attempts to criticize ...
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Functionalist approach draws much attention in social sciences based on which social phenomena, especially religion are studied. This approach which is rooted in positivism asserts that any social phenomenon should be studied taking into account its role and duty in a system. This paper attempts to criticize the basics and assumptions of this approach in religious studies. Thus, while the historic and scientific origins of this approach and the definitions of religion presented by functionalists are discussed here, the paper also criticizes the definitions, principles, and assumptions in this approach.
Amir Sadeghi; Mansour Nasiri
Volume 7, Issue 1 , January 2018, , Pages 23-44
Abstract
In this paper, I tried to elucidate Weber's view on the relationship between knowledge and religion as one of his most important views from the point of view of his "Sociology of Religion" and show how Weber's vision results in a conflict between knowledge in the general sense of it (including empirical ...
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In this paper, I tried to elucidate Weber's view on the relationship between knowledge and religion as one of his most important views from the point of view of his "Sociology of Religion" and show how Weber's vision results in a conflict between knowledge in the general sense of it (including empirical sciences and Human) and religion. For this purpose, five main sections are considered. In the first section, the title introduces the map of the possible relationships between knowledge and religion, then in the second section, the coordinates of Weber's position in that map as one of the factors for the conflict between knowledge and religion is explained. In the third part of the article, criticisms of Weber's vision has been drawn up by considering Wolterstorff's views, and finally, in the fourth section, with a critical study on Weber's position, I come up to a solution for the issue, named "conflict between knowledge and religion". This solution which includes a path that is presented to the religious scholars and scientists to discuss with each other so that both the domains of human thought, knowledge and religion, can be used methodically and philosophically in a well-known sociological structure. The final part of this article also focuses on the conclusion of the discussion.
mohammad ali akhgar
Volume 5, Issue 2 , January 2017, , Pages 23-44
Abstract
The problem of religious diversity and related questions including the questions of rightfulness and salvation are of great religionological importance. One of the many answers to this problem is a version of inclusivism developed by Muslims researchers using the teachings of Sadraian philosophy, in ...
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The problem of religious diversity and related questions including the questions of rightfulness and salvation are of great religionological importance. One of the many answers to this problem is a version of inclusivism developed by Muslims researchers using the teachings of Sadraian philosophy, in particular the graded distinction, which could be called ‘the inclusivism of graded rightfulness’. Using the teachings of Sadra’s philosophy and gradation theory and a descriptive-analytic examining of this reading of inclusivism, this article has investigated and inquired this inclusivism, which puts numerous existent religions in a graded hierarchy of rightfulness. Accordingly, the distinction among the existent religions was a graded one and has the characteristics of a graded hierarchy; so, for instance, it consists of a kind of composition of having and lacking, and higher ranks include the perfections of lower ranks. Thus the higher the rank of a religion in the graded hierarchy of rightfulness is, the more right beliefs it has and so has some graded covering regarding to the lower ranks.
Roozbeh Zare
Volume 6, Issue 2 , February 2018, , Pages 25-47
Abstract
Divine action is one of the most important issues in theology during history. In contemporary theology and science discussions, this issue becomes more important in the light of modern science’s achievements. Is it a reasonable way for believing in God’s providence that is also far from the ...
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Divine action is one of the most important issues in theology during history. In contemporary theology and science discussions, this issue becomes more important in the light of modern science’s achievements. Is it a reasonable way for believing in God’s providence that is also far from the god of the gaps strategy? John Polkinghorne, the famous English Physicist and Priest, is one of the pioneers of theology and science discussions in Christian doctrine. In addition to brilliant achievements in theoretical physics, he has some outstanding theories also in theology and science (In both methodology and contents). One of these theories is the specific picture he presents for modelling divine action in nature. This picture, rests on some bases: critical realism in scientific discovery, specific role of metaphysics, defeating naturalism, specific notion of causality and a top-down model of causation based on chaos theory. In this article, after a review on Polkinghorne’s academic life, his main ideas in general and his specific notion of divine action in nature in particular is described. In criticizing his ideas, it is shown that his notion, although has some powerful points, is not strong enough for philosophical analysis. At the end, I emphasis in the role of a strong coherence philosophical system for generate an acceptable picture for divine action. Islamic philosophy systems, I think, can play this role in contemporary discussions.
morteza pouyan; Mohammad saeedimehr; Reza Akbarian; mohammad ali hojjati
Volume 3, Issue 2 , April 2015, , Pages 25-35
Abstract
Meanwhile Agha Ali Hakim was writing his interpretation on Asfar, wrote a thesis in which he presented a reading of ontological argument which he called creative and unique in the world of Islam and among Hekmat-E- Motealie’ s followers. He presented the reading through four considerations from ...
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Meanwhile Agha Ali Hakim was writing his interpretation on Asfar, wrote a thesis in which he presented a reading of ontological argument which he called creative and unique in the world of Islam and among Hekmat-E- Motealie’ s followers. He presented the reading through four considerations from reality of being; if the reality of being, he says, considered 1. by itself; 2. conditioned by absoluteness; 3. conditioned by no condition; 4. purity of a being, we can prove God: because when reality of being be considered by each of these four consideration, we cannot suppose a principle for it; since it leads to circular argument or infinite chain argumentation, and an existent that has no principle, is God only. While we review his reading of the ontological argument, will deal with this problem that by which one of those considerations his argument is complete and by which one is incomplete.
Naeimeh poormohammadi
Volume 5, Issue 1 , August 2016, , Pages 27-50
Abstract
George Mavrodes, philosopher of religion and revised epistemologist, offers a new interpretation of argument by means of which one can take a new look at the traditional arguments for the existence of God. Adding two conditions of ‘certainty’ and ‘persuasion’ to the two former ...
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George Mavrodes, philosopher of religion and revised epistemologist, offers a new interpretation of argument by means of which one can take a new look at the traditional arguments for the existence of God. Adding two conditions of ‘certainty’ and ‘persuasion’ to the two former conditions of ‘validity’ and ‘soundness’, he pictures argument as a two-dimensional or compositional concept that consists of two objective elements (validity and soundness) and two subjective elements (certainty and persuasion). Given this description of the nature of argument, it seems that one can firstly recognize the wide disagreement among proponents and opponents of the arguments for the existence of God, and secondly with regard to the subjective elements of argument, one can defend some firm and cogent narratives of these arguments.
Seyyed Hossein Hosseini
Volume 1, Issue 2 , October 2013, , Pages 27-50
Abstract
One of the most challenging questions in religion studies especially philosophy of religion is to give a definition of religion and its basic elements.This paper after give a definition of religion, examine its benefits and disadvantages. Pay attention to three areas ‘beliefs’, ‘practices’ ...
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One of the most challenging questions in religion studies especially philosophy of religion is to give a definition of religion and its basic elements.This paper after give a definition of religion, examine its benefits and disadvantages. Pay attention to three areas ‘beliefs’, ‘practices’ and ‘emotions’, between human’s needs and potentials, is one of the benefits of that definition and essential to the principle of conclusiveness, but the attempt to solve the problem of define the religion will be useless unless following cases that are among theoretical defects of attempt to define religion be resolved: 1. reach to minimal subscribers between religions; 2. Ambiguity in explaining the essential elements of definition; and … Finally, we must regard the necessity of a ‘systematic view’ in defining this term one of the difficulties and challenges before us that should be seen scientifically and methodically.The article ends with reflection on another definition of religion to open a way to analyzing conceptual elements of religion.
hasan abasi hasan Abadi
Volume 9, Issue 2 , January 2020, , Pages 33-49
Abstract
The "epistemology of God and divine attributes" discusses the possibility of knowing God and his attributes, the ways of knowing the attributes, and how to know them. Allameh Hilli, a theologian from the Hillah School with the Peripatetic method, is both influenced by the philosophical foundations of ...
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The "epistemology of God and divine attributes" discusses the possibility of knowing God and his attributes, the ways of knowing the attributes, and how to know them. Allameh Hilli, a theologian from the Hillah School with the Peripatetic method, is both influenced by the philosophical foundations of the Peripatetic and Theology of Khajeh Nasir. Examining God and his attributes with an epistemological approach according to his theological view and his interest in philosophy is the issue of this article. How did Allameh Hilli act in recognizing his attributes of God? To what extent does he benefit from philosophy and theology, and consequently from reason and narration in explaining attributes? If he considers the attributes of God to be Toqifi, how can this be combined with the names and attributes of God and the ways of recognizing the attributes and the reasons given for proving the attributes? To examine this question and answer the questions, we first examine the "possibility of knowing God" and the "ways of knowing Him"; Then we explain the ways of knowing the attributes of God. Allameh Helli believes in the "necessity of knowing God" and explains this "obligation" with rational and narrative reasons. God has an extra-religious view mixed with intra-religion.
vahideh Fakhar Noghani; Seyed Morteza Hosseini Shahrudi
Volume 7, Issue 2 , February 2018, , Pages 35-54
Zoheir Ansarian; Reza Akbarian; Lotfollah Nabavi
Volume 2, Issue 2 , January 2014, , Pages 35-58
Abstract
Farabi's view about the relationship between religion and philosophy can be studied in two stages: the creation and understanding stages. The relationship between religion and philosophy in the creation stage has different dimensions, some of which consider philosophy and religion as identical and some ...
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Farabi's view about the relationship between religion and philosophy can be studied in two stages: the creation and understanding stages. The relationship between religion and philosophy in the creation stage has different dimensions, some of which consider philosophy and religion as identical and some others believe that philosophy has priority over religion. In the stage of creation, the origin, the subjects and problems of philosophy and religion are the same, but in terms of language and time philosophy have priority over religion.Based on Farabi’s transition from a natural approach to revelatory approach, there are two versions of the approach prioritizinglanguage of philosophy which are known as "logical priority" and "epistemological priority". Farabi's view about the relationship between religion and philosophy in the creation is called “representation" whose most important element is prioritization of language priority of philosophy over religion. Despite the distinction between the two versions, the basic principles are the same. According to this theory, the religion is mimesis of philosophy that deals with persuasive methods. Nonetheless, religion and philosophy has some relation in the understanding stage too which is called "interpretation”. Accordingly, interpretation methods adopted by Farabi can be used to achieve religious philosophy and philosophical truths.
Amirhossein Khodaparast; Ghazaleh Hojjati
Volume 3, Issue 2 , April 2015, , Pages 37-52
Abstract
Open-mindedness appears at the top of nearly every list of intellectual virtues presented by virtue epistemologists. This virtue reveals its moral- intellectual value, at least, at three levels; first, it can be useful in resolving intellectual conflicts and dissonances. Second, it can improve the evaluation ...
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Open-mindedness appears at the top of nearly every list of intellectual virtues presented by virtue epistemologists. This virtue reveals its moral- intellectual value, at least, at three levels; first, it can be useful in resolving intellectual conflicts and dissonances. Second, it can improve the evaluation and the assessment of rational claims and finally, it is necessary for the understanding of those claims. The believer, who has the merit of this intellectual virtue, can hope for being in a better position to have the other virtues like intellectual fairness, honesty, impartiality, patience, sympathy, creativity and autonomy and to reach to their end, i.e. conscientious and virtuous belief. Being well-equipped with the virtue of open-mindedness is determining for the religion followers. While it seems that religious beliefs and commitments are impediments to achieving open-mindedness due to their substantial ties with follower’s selves, it is the tint of the virtue and its corollaries that make the character and the beliefs of the followers conscientious and virtuous. Furthermore, the narratives, which arise from the scriptures and the lives of intellectual and moral exemplars in theistic religions, admire the character of a believer who takes and maintains his beliefs open-mindedly. Therefore, it seems that according to virtue approach to justification of religious belief, open-mindedness and the other relevant virtues have a fundamental role in the belief justification.
Roozbeh Zare
Volume 2, Issue 3 , January 2014, , Pages 37-57
Abstract
William Lane Craig has revived a kind of Cosmological Argument which called Kalam Cosmological Argument. In this argument the origination of the Universe is the sign of contingency and therefore the reason for an un-natural cause. He appeals to two metaphysical arguments and two scientific confirmations ...
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William Lane Craig has revived a kind of Cosmological Argument which called Kalam Cosmological Argument. In this argument the origination of the Universe is the sign of contingency and therefore the reason for an un-natural cause. He appeals to two metaphysical arguments and two scientific confirmations to prove his main premise of his argument (i.e. origination of the Universe).
Abbas Yazdani; Mahdi Paaaknahaad
Volume 4, Issue 1 , January 2015, , Pages 39-56
Abstract
This study follows Heidegger's position regarding the relationship between religion and morality. Heidegger in various positions have talked, not in an entirely coherent and systematic way, about morality and religion, in a commonly known meanings, and in most cases he has criticized them. In this research, ...
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This study follows Heidegger's position regarding the relationship between religion and morality. Heidegger in various positions have talked, not in an entirely coherent and systematic way, about morality and religion, in a commonly known meanings, and in most cases he has criticized them. In this research, we have attempted to examine Heidegger’s attitude toward religion and morality and the relationship between them. The results showed that Heidegger places religion and morality in a larger context (metaphysical tradition) and denies them as the consequences of ontic thinking of Western metaphysics.
mohammad heidarifard; mohamad kazem forghani
Volume 2, Issue 4 , January 2026, , Pages 39-59
Abstract
The problem of eternity of the soul in the hell, and sustainability in the divine punishment is among the most important theological and doctrinal issues which has drawn the attention of Muslim thinkers from the beginning. Mulla Sadra indicated the problems concerning the issue, and tried to answer them. ...
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The problem of eternity of the soul in the hell, and sustainability in the divine punishment is among the most important theological and doctrinal issues which has drawn the attention of Muslim thinkers from the beginning. Mulla Sadra indicated the problems concerning the issue, and tried to answer them. He wants to prove the sustainability of unbelievers in the hell, so he rejects any kind of account which holds punishment un-sustainability. But as the article points out, his proof is insufficient and could not yield the sustainability.
Ghorban Elmi
Volume 8, Issue 2 , March 2020, , Pages 41-64
Abstract
This article examines the concept of God in St. Paul’s thought, by applying historical, lexical and theological studies of his epistles and what Acts of apostles has said about him. Research findings show that belief in the true One God is the sole foundation of Paul's thought. But this only God ...
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This article examines the concept of God in St. Paul’s thought, by applying historical, lexical and theological studies of his epistles and what Acts of apostles has said about him. Research findings show that belief in the true One God is the sole foundation of Paul's thought. But this only God is also called the Father. His unity signifies His power, greatness and uniqueness, and being a Father is a sign of God's goodness, love, and goodwill. According to Paul, "there is one God for us, God the Father." This God, while enjoying all of the perfect traits expressed in the monotheistic religions, is also the Creator and Savior, because "all things were made of him, by him and for him." However, Christ is His instrument and agent in creation and salvation. But that does not mean that God is inactive. Christ has his everything from God. Creation and providence are in the hands of God. Paul makes a fundamental difference between God and Jesus Christ and never refers to Christ as God.
amirhosein zadyusefi; Mohammad saeedimehr
Volume 4, Issue 2 , June 2014, , Pages 43-66
Abstract
Pascal’s Wager is one of the arguments which is used to defend the rationality of ‘God exists’ proposition. One of the most important objections to Pascal’s Wager is called The Many Gods Objection (MGO). In this paper, we, firstly, present one of the most common versions of Pascal’s ...
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Pascal’s Wager is one of the arguments which is used to defend the rationality of ‘God exists’ proposition. One of the most important objections to Pascal’s Wager is called The Many Gods Objection (MGO). In this paper, we, firstly, present one of the most common versions of Pascal’s Wager, ‘Argument from Dominating Expected Utility’, and then we will introduce two versions of MGO. The first version is called the possibilist version and the second the actualist. Actualist version has itself three versions which come sequentially such that the second version of the actualist version is a result of an objection to the first version and the third version is a result of an objection to the second version. As a response to the possibilist version we will present Jeff Jordan’s response. The main idea of this response is that logical possibility does not imply an assignment of positive probability. For the actualist version, we present two responses. The first response is based on the denial of a proposition which is supposed to be true by actualist version. In the second response the main purpose of Pascal’s Wage is asserted.
Ali Afzali; Maryam Shadi
Volume 3, Issue 1 , February 2015, , Pages 43-65
Abstract
The human identity and the possibility of the restoration or resurrection of destroyed beings, at judgment day, is one of the most important and at the same time most challenging issues in philosophical and theological discussions of Islamic thought. This issue has been discussed in different versions ...
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The human identity and the possibility of the restoration or resurrection of destroyed beings, at judgment day, is one of the most important and at the same time most challenging issues in philosophical and theological discussions of Islamic thought. This issue has been discussed in different versions and forms by Muslim philosophers. The Allameh Helli’s approach is highly regarded because of its rich content and because he describes the problem with other related issues. He believes that the kind of view on the essence of human that a thinker has affects his view on the human identity. Allameh Helli, finally with a corporeal-oriented approach toward human reality, considers the resurrected human body constituted of non-mortal components, and denies the possibility of restoration of nonexistent.
hazhir mehri; alireza monsefi; ali asghar mosleh
Volume 7, Issue 1 , January 2018, , Pages 45-65
Abstract
Sadr-al-Mutallihin would consider it as the soul perfection and it’s existentially separation from the body. According to him, being is of some levels, and death is on their borders by which human being could ascend a high level of being, that is, the Heaven. Therefore, death is not the end of ...
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Sadr-al-Mutallihin would consider it as the soul perfection and it’s existentially separation from the body. According to him, being is of some levels, and death is on their borders by which human being could ascend a high level of being, that is, the Heaven. Therefore, death is not the end of life, as Mulla sadra said, but is got to be a rebirth as well as a kind of transcendence in the material world. One of the most important existential philosophers, Martin Heidegger, on the other hand, would hermenutico-phenomenologically deal with the death. Rather than an end to the life, according to him, death is considered to be an existential phenomenon with which man could face the realities of life. Hence, death could be a way of life which has been accommodated in as the last possibility of the Dasein from the beginning. Because of this, as he argued, every human being can be understood as a being-toward-death which indeed is in the face of the end. Instead of avoiding it, however, being aware of this reality requires the original being. According to this, confronting the death, man would think about the “Being”, and would deeply feel its mysterious presence. As a comparative study, reflecting on death, according to both Mulla sadra and Heidegger, not only could man actualize his potential capabilities but also understand the fundamental values of life as well as the original being. In this paper, Sadr al-Din Shirazi's views and Martin Heidegger In case of death, according to Henry Corbin will be explained.
Forough Rahimpour; Mohammad Javad zaryeh; Zahra Abyar
Volume 6, Issue 1 , January 2017, , Pages 45-64
Abstract
The meaningfulness of life and a desire to immortality has occupied the probe mind for a long time. Belief in the life after death and immortality have a significant role in the human interpretation of meaninglessness of life. Mulla Sadra, based on his philosophical system and foundations such as soul ...
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The meaningfulness of life and a desire to immortality has occupied the probe mind for a long time. Belief in the life after death and immortality have a significant role in the human interpretation of meaninglessness of life. Mulla Sadra, based on his philosophical system and foundations such as soul abstraction, substantive movement, physical occurrence of soul and its spiritual survival, and by offering a different and seminal explanation of the phenomenon of death, raised the idea that the its exact understanding verifies the linkage between belief in the immortality of soul and the meaningfulness of life. Mulla Sadra has chosen a philosophical approach to prove the immortality of human soul and, its impact on the issue of meaningfulness is quite significant. considering immortality and meaning in life in his opinion, faith, rationality and morality are colsely associated. In this paper, applying a descriptive analysis, the important components of a meaningful and eternal life are examined and the role of belief in the immortality of soul, in the meaningfulness of life is elaborated according to the principles of Sadraee wisdom.
Akram Asgarzadeh; Jalaal Peykani
Volume 5, Issue 2 , January 2017, , Pages 45-66
Abstract
According to the some critics of reliabilism, this theory suffers from the problem of the value of knowledge. Zagzebski suggests that to solve this problem, we should internalize the relation between context and belief forming process. Exploring Mulla Sadra’s epistemic theory, this paper aimed ...
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According to the some critics of reliabilism, this theory suffers from the problem of the value of knowledge. Zagzebski suggests that to solve this problem, we should internalize the relation between context and belief forming process. Exploring Mulla Sadra’s epistemic theory, this paper aimed to show whether his theory could solve the problem or not. Although in Islamic philosophers ‘s views, knowledge isn’t equal to justified true belief, but some aspects of Mulla Sadra’s theory concerning the union of the knower and the known could be served as a means to solve the problem. Those aspects consist in: considering the relation between believer and belief as an existential union, which in turn, leads us to consider their relation as an internal one. To explain that the relation is internal, Mulla Sadra considers the epistemic processes as causal processes and mater and form. He believes, also, that the validity of the knower affects true beliefs acquiring
haleh abdullahi rad; Mohsen Jahed
Volume 2, Issue 1 , January 2013, , Pages 47-65
Abstract
After the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, experimental science emerged as a powerful challenger against religions. It not only question edtheir ability to solve human beings’ problems but also sought to propose more clear explanations about the world. Therefore, the relationship ...
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After the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, experimental science emerged as a powerful challenger against religions. It not only question edtheir ability to solve human beings’ problems but also sought to propose more clear explanations about the world. Therefore, the relationship between science and religion became the central debate in the philosophy and gave birth to various views. This article is an attempt to study this issue from the viewpoint of Francisco J.Ayala; a contemporary renowned American-Spanish priest and genetics scholar. He believes that the Bible is only infallible concerning the salvation and well-being of human being and does not intend to explain natural events. Ayala accepts methodological naturalism and refutes metaphysical naturalism to the point thathe denies the interference of God and other metaphysical causes in the affairs of the world. He believes that the theories of evolution and natural selection are sufficient for explaining the emergence of biological species in the world. From Ayala’s point of view, such perception could solve the evil’s problem, because if so, evils will be related to evolution and natural selection and God will be absolved from evils. It seems that Ayala’s solution does not have the ability to resolve the evil’s problem. Ayala splits science and religion up in two separate domains while they complement each other.
rostam Shamohammadi
Volume 6, Issue 2 , February 2018, , Pages 49-69
Abstract
Present paper is an attempt towards an Analysis and Study of relation between religion and science from whitehead's process thought viewpoint. To illuminate this exposition, first, it is briefly proposed four models of relation between religion and science: conflict, independence, dialogue and integration. ...
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Present paper is an attempt towards an Analysis and Study of relation between religion and science from whitehead's process thought viewpoint. To illuminate this exposition, first, it is briefly proposed four models of relation between religion and science: conflict, independence, dialogue and integration. Second, process metaphysical system is discussed to show that how religion and science harmonize or synthesize in such comprehensive system. Third, it is referred to whitehead's view on religion and obstacles of reconciling religion and science. Last, by relying on twelfth chapter of science and the modern world under title "religion and science", certain rules governing religion and science be extracted and analyzed that indicating development and dynamic of these two realms, concerning same reality and explaining some levels the reality, conflict between them is natural, although was exaggerated, and evolution of religious knowledge in the light of development of science.
Mahdi Saatchi; Mohammad Sa’idi Mehr; rasoul rasoulipour
Volume 9, Issue 2 , January 2020, , Pages 51-75
Abstract
According to the Abrahamic religions, God is the absolute Ultimate reality. Metaphysical necessity confronts us with truths that are absolutely necessary and do not seem to say anything about God, such as "water = H2O". Here we encounter the Euthyphro dilemma, but not in the realm of ethics but in the ...
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According to the Abrahamic religions, God is the absolute Ultimate reality. Metaphysical necessity confronts us with truths that are absolutely necessary and do not seem to say anything about God, such as "water = H2O". Here we encounter the Euthyphro dilemma, but not in the realm of ethics but in the realm of metaphysics; Are the necessary truths true because God has affirms them or God has affirms them because they themselves are true? In the first case, the absolute necessity of necessary truths is challenged, and in the second case, the absolute sovereignty and ultimacy of God is challenged. The main answer of the theologians to resolve this conflict is to base the necessary truths on the essence of God. Brian Leftow criticizes this approach, which he calls the "Deity theory," and argues that accepting these theories for all necessary truths requires the dependence of the divine essence on truths that are not about God and are merely about creatures. This article critically explains and analyzes Leftow's view.
Shima Shahrestani; Hamidreza Ayatollahy
Volume 5, Issue 1 , August 2016, , Pages 51-76
Abstract
Against evidentialists’ views, especially Clifford’s, William James has presented his views about the effect of will on belief. According to Clifford, for everyone, always and everywhere, it is wrong to accept a belief without sufficient evidences. William James, in contrast, believes that ...
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Against evidentialists’ views, especially Clifford’s, William James has presented his views about the effect of will on belief. According to Clifford, for everyone, always and everywhere, it is wrong to accept a belief without sufficient evidences. William James, in contrast, believes that instead fear of error, which is the Clifford’s way to apply ethics on belief, it is better to think getting to truth. He attempts to show that this view is the justifier of religious beliefs, in the way that people, regardless to evidentialism, consider themselves right in their believing in religious beliefs. James' views in the article ‘will to believe’ is established on pragmatism, ethics and psychology. He believed ‘will’ impacts beliefs both in their creation and in their control. James's psychological point of view is dealt with belief creation and his ethical view is concerned with belief control. There are some criticisms against James’ viewpoint; based on one of them, his attitude relativizes the value of faith. Adding two conditions to James’ approach and turning it into an externalist theory to justify religious beliefs, Bishop tries to solve the problem. Evaluating the James’ approach, this paper aims to study the Bishop’s solution.
