There Is No Sensus Divinitatis
Inspired by Alvin Plantinga, many philosophers of religion accept the existence of a sensus divinitatis, a cognitive mechanism that produces religious beliefs. In this paper I will argue that there are no good reasons to accept the existence of a sensus divinitatis and hence its existence should not...
| Published in: | Journal for the study of religions and ideologies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
CEEOL
[2016]
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| In: |
Journal for the study of religions and ideologies
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Plantinga, Alvin 1932-
/ Kognitive Religionswissenschaft
/ Knowability of God
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| RelBib Classification: | AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism |
| Further subjects: | B
Alvin Plantinga
B cognitive science of religion B Reformed Epistemology B Sensus Divinitatis |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Inspired by Alvin Plantinga, many philosophers of religion accept the existence of a sensus divinitatis, a cognitive mechanism that produces religious beliefs. In this paper I will argue that there are no good reasons to accept the existence of a sensus divinitatis and hence its existence should not be affirmed. Plantinga gives two arguments for its existence, one empirical and one from the nature of God. I will argue that the first argument fails because God’s nature makes it more likely that he lets himself be known through other means. In order to criticize the second argument I rely on recent empirical data on religious cognition and argue that it does not lend support to accepting the existence of a sensus divinitatis or a similar cognitive mechanism. |
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| ISSN: | 1583-0039 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of religions and ideologies
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