Is Christianity Rational?Is Christianity Rational?from a philosophical standpoint

John S. Wilkins

What does it mean to be What does it mean to be rational?rational?

Doesn’t mean correct – a rational decision can be false if one starts from the wrong premises

Doesn’t mean agrees with anyone, such as scientists

Doesn’t mean considers all the evidence, for then nobody would be rational

It means, roughly, to make the right choice with the best available evidence in a reasonable amount of time

How could Christianity be How could Christianity be rational?rational?

If it was consistent with all the evidence we have

If it had no contradictions in its basic tenets

If it provided a way to continue that consistently worked out

In a limited, or bounded, sense, if it is the best epistemic bet one can make given one’s environment and resources

EvidenceEvidenceLack of evidence for Christianity (failed prophecies, obvious interpolations in sacred texts, etc.)

Contradicts evidence we do have (e.g., literalism and science)

Is question begging about evidence (finds awareness of sinfulness in societies where it really didn’t exist)

Often uses false “evidence” (e.g., McDowell, archeology)

ContradictionsContradictionsIs God one or three?

Is God good or powerful? Epicurus’ objection

Is God visible or not?

Is God moved to anger or not?

Why do we need to believe, if God has done the sacrificial work?

Soteriology in particular seems self contradictory - saved by God from God himself?

SuccessFailure of miracles (why no regrown limbs?)

Failure of self-help (mentally disabled)

Failure, for a substantial proportion, of belief states

Failure of exorcisms

Failure of providence (the flowers in the field fallacy)

Failure of Christian society (Albigensians to Fred Phelps)

Bounded rationalityBounded rationalityOne has to make a decision before the leopard leaps

One never has perfect information

So we follow rules (heuristics) like “Imitate the best”

This means we emulate our peers and authorities (because they are not dead yet, and we don’t want to be)

Is this a pathway to truth?

Bounded rationalityBounded rationalityNo, it’s not. At best it’s a pathway to what works well enough in a given context (like suburban Western democratic society in peacetime)

When we have to make a choice, it pays to be sure we are exposed to the right conditions

Science education, for example…

So while Christians can be boundedly rational, that doesn’t make Christianity a rational religion

The hermeneutic circleThe hermeneutic circle

It is often true that a religion appears rational to its adherents when it looks irrational to those outside

This is because adherents hold ideas that force the religion to be rational to them (e.g., taking the scriptures as God’s word) which do not seem so to nonbelievers

This is the hermeneutic circle – a kind of rational bubble that when pricked, cannot be reconstituted

Hence...Hence...

“When two principles really do meet which cannot be reconciled, then each man calls the other a fool and a heretic” – Ludwig Wittgenstein, On Certainty §611

But that doesn’t put every worldview on an equal footing (consider a schizophrenic worldview)

What we basically must do is have evidence, or else we are just making up stories

Do I want Christians to Do I want Christians to apostasise?apostasise?

No I don’t.

But don’t think what you find compelling is going to compel anyone else, and especially do not make it something everyone must agree to [The Secular Imperative]

And when religion and science conflict, so much the worse for religion – belief must give way to knowledge, not vice versa [Knowledge cannot be undercut by faith]

ThanksThanksscienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughtsscienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughtscienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughtscienceblogs.com/evolvingthoughts

EPICURUS’s old questions are yet unanswered. Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?

David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, §10

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