Alvin Plantinga wants to answer the following question: Is Christian belief
intellectualy or rationaly acceptable? We will present the answer John Locke
gives, based on his evidentialism, to the aforementioned question, as well
as Plantinga?s critique of Locke?s evidentialist approach. Plantinga thinks
that the question ?Is Christian belief intellectualy or rationaly
acceptable?? is best understood as meaning ?Is Christian belief warranted??.
We will analyze Plantinga?s argument for the claim that Christian belief
probably has warrant if it is true, which implies that we first have to show
that Christian belief (probably) is false in order to show that it
(probably) has no warrant. But than that means that we have to show that
Christian belief is false in order to show that it is unacceptable, making
it very hard, if not impossible, to show that Christian belief is
unacceptable. We will then present one objection to Plantinga?s argument,
?the Great Pumpkin Objection?. Relying on Linda Zagzebski?s analysis, we
will claim that the Great Pupmpkin objection shows that Plantinga?s notion
of ?warrant? does not adequately capture the meaning of the relevant notion
of ?intellectual or rational acceptability? of beliefs, and that, hence, his
conclusion about warrant of Christian belief are not necessary relevant for
the claims about intellectual or rational acceptability of Christian belief.
We will also analyze a solution given by Kyle Scott. He thinks that if we
have, in addition to Plantinga?s argument showing that Christian belief is
warranted if true, favouring evidence in support of Christian belief, which
he thinks we obviously have, than Christian belief is acceptable. We will
point out that Scott does not elaborate what makes adequate favouring
evidence in support of some belief, and we will calim that adequate
understanding of favouring evidence will, in some respects, be very similar
to Locke?s evidentialism. If so, than Scott proposal will reintroduce some
elements of Locke?s evidentialism, and the question of whether there is
favouring evidence in support of Christian belief will not have an obvious
and easy answer.