God Pro Nobis: On Non-metaphysical Realism and the Philosophy of ReligionIn theology and the philosophy of religion questions concerning God's existence are often understood and discussed in terms of metaphysical realism. Metaphysical realism, however, is a philosophically untenable perspective, according to this study. Its impact on the philosophy of religion is therefore problematic. By using arguments presented by W.V. Quine, Hilary Putnam and William P. Alston the author shows why metaphysical realism is a philosophically untenable perspective and what this implies when it comes to questions concerning God's existence. Drawing on the work of Putnam, Michael Dummett and Donald Davidson, the author elaborates a non-metaphysical realist perspective that she recommends as a philosophically tenable alternative that can be used in theology and the philosophy of religion. Non-metaphysical realism, this study claims, encourages philosophers of religion to engage in a fruitful reflection on present-day problems caused by the phenomenon of religion and of importance to human beings living in today's society. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
Metaphysical Philosophy of Religion | 18 |
Realism and Religion | 36 |
The Inscrutability of Reference | 50 |
Twin Earth | 66 |
Putnam and Quine | 82 |
Realist versus Epistemic | 98 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS | 117 |
Sufficiently Good Conditions for Justification | 147 |
EvidenceTranscendent Truths | 160 |
The Principle of Bivalence | 176 |
Verification and EvidenceTranscendence | 191 |
NONMETAPHYSICAL REALISM | 205 |
Kantian or Quinean? | 220 |
Kantian Not Quinean | 227 |
A Swedish Debate | 241 |
Common terms and phrases
able alethic realism Alston analytical hypotheses anti-realism anti-realist assumption brains conceive conception of truth conceptual resources conceptual scheme conditions for justification constitutes sufficiently context criteria of rational criticism Cupitt Davidson describe different conceptions discuss distinction Donald Davidson Dummett epistemic epistemological epistemological realism evidence-transcendent truths example existential questions exists expression fact field linguist formulate gavagai Hick holism human idea imagine implies inscrutability of reference internal realism meta metaphysical philosophy metaphysical realism non-metaphysical realism objects ontological relativity perspective philosophical philosophy of religion physical realism possible presuppose presuppositions principle of bivalence problems propositions Putnam argues Quine Quine's rabbit rational acceptability realist conception realist position reality-in-itself reflections rejection relation religious belief semantic notion semantic realist sense shared independent reality statement sufficiently good conditions T-schema talk Tarski tences theory of meaning theory of reference thesis things tion translation manual true or false truth-conditions truth-value Twin Earth understand utterances verify words