A LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL BASIS OF RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTATION: APPLICATION TO ULTIMATE FEATURES OF CORRESPONDING WORLD VIEWS

Abstract

Up through the middle of the 20th century, the classical view of science was one of linear advancement from hypothesis formation to hypothesis testing and discovery based on the previous set of known facts. Likewise, religion offered a straight set of beliefs regarding God's existence, the origin of the universe, the existence of evil, and the ultimate fate of the individual, to which the members of a given religious community were expected to subscribe within a certain logical framework on specific epistemic preferences. The material of science and religion was metaphysically inclined-it reflected truth-value claims about the nature of the world. These claims were neatly compartmentalized so that one could trust in arguments about the nature of the m_aterial world and God's universe, and not worry much about points of connection and possible contradiction between lines of argument. Bodies of knowledge and belief…