PHIL 331 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Theism, Basic Belief
27 Feb 2014
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Some religious thinkers have argued that the very nature of religion requires that its beliefs rest on faith, not reason. But if religious belief were based on reason, reason would either establish the belief beyond question or it would merely render the belief probable. 1st case reason proves the belief, the informed intellect would compel belief and leave no room for the exercise of a free decision. 2nd case where reason merely shows the belief to be probable, if religious belief rested entirely on reason then the unconditional acceptance of religious belief would be unwarranted and absurd. Faith would be the acceptance of certain statements concerning god and his activities. It can also be faith in certain persons or institutions. Aquinas says that faith falls between knowledge and opinion. Faith shares with knowledge the aspect of an intellectual assent that is firm and sure.
