The Feeling of Pain

1998 ◽  
pp. 68-74
Author(s):  
Claudia Márquez Pemartín
Keyword(s):  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Rational Explanation

The metaphysical concepts of act and potency that are central to the Thomistic tradition can help us solve the problem of understanding pain, sorrow and grief. Human beings, as natural creatures, are composed of act and potency. If rightly understood, these concepts can give a rational explanation to the reality of pain-without having recourse to religious beliefs-by accepting it as a natural derivation of our natural limits.

Common Sense Propositions

Philosophy ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 48 (186) ◽  
pp. 363-379
Author(s):  
A. C. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Physical Object ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Know How ◽  
Justified Belief ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Right ◽  
Past Experiences

Philosophers have not been sceptical only about metaphysics or religious beliefs. There are a great number of other beliefs generally held which they have had at least as much difficulty in justifying, and in the present article I ask questions as to the right philosophical attitude to these beliefs in cases where to our everyday thought they seem so obvious as to be a matter of the most ordinary common sense. A vast number of propositions go beyond what is merely empirical and cannot be seen to be logically necessary but are still believed by everybody in their daily life. Into this class fall propositions about physical things, other human minds and even propositions about one's own past experiences based on memory, for we are not now ‘observing’ our past. The phenomenalist does not escape the difficulty about physical things, for he reduces physical object propositions, in so far as true, not merely to propositions about his own actual experience but to propositions about the experiences of other human beings in general under certain conditions, and he cannot either observe or logically prove what the experiences of other people are or what even his own would be under conditions which have not yet been fulfilled. What is the philosopher to say about such propositions? Even Moore, who insisted so strongly that we knew them, admitted that we did not know how we knew them. The claim which a religious man makes to a justified belief that is neither a matter of purely empirical perception nor formally provable is indeed by no means peculiar to the religious. It is made de facto by everybody in his senses, whether or not he realizes that he is doing so. There is indeed a difference: while everyone believes in the existence of other human beings and in the possibility of making some probable predictions about the future from the past, not everybody holds religious beliefs, and although this does not necessarily invalidate the claim it obviously weakens it.

Religious language

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. Alston
Keyword(s):  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Religious Language ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Life Orientation ◽  
The Earth ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Basic Features

The main philosophical interest in religious language is in the understanding of what purport to be statements about God. Can they really be what they seem to be – claims to say something true about a divine reality? There are several reasons for denying this. The most prominent of these stems from the verifiability criterion of meaning, according to which an utterance can be a statement that is objectively true or false only if it is possible to verify or falsify it empirically. It is claimed that this is not possible for talk about God. However, the verifiability criterion itself has been severely criticized. Moreover, many religious beliefs do have implications that are, in principle, empirically testable, though not conclusively. If one is moved to reject the idea that statements about God are what they seem to be, they can be taken as expressions of feelings and attitudes, and/or as guides to a life orientation. To be sure, religious utterances can have these functions even if they are also genuine statements of fact. If one believes there to be genuine true-or-false statements about God, there are still problems as to how to understand them. We can focus on the construal of the predicates of such statements – for example, ‘made the heavens and the earth’ and ‘commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt’. There is a serious problem here because of two basic features of the situation. First, the terms we apply to God got their meaning from their application to creatures, particularly human beings. Second, God is so radically different from us that it seems that these terms cannot have the same meaning in the two uses. One possibility here is that all these terms are used metaphorically when applied to God, which obviously often happens (‘The Lord is my shepherd’). But are there some terms that can be literally true of God? This may be the case if some abstract aspect of the creaturely meaning of a term can be literally applied to God. For example, if one aspect of the meaning of ‘makes’ when applied to one of us is ‘brings about some state of affairs by an act of will’, the term ‘makes’ with that particular meaning might be truly applied to God.

scholarly journals Human Rights without Objective Intrinsic Value

Labyrinth ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Víctor Cantero-Flores ◽  
Roberto Parra-Dorantes
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Practical Reasons ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Rational Explanation ◽  
In Virtue Of ◽  
Problematic Feature

The current predominant conception of human rights implies that human beings have objective intrinsic value. In this paper, we defend that there is no satisfactory justification of this claim. In spite of the great variety of theories aimed at explaining objective intrinsic value, all of them share one common problematic feature: they pass from a non-evaluative proposition to an evaluative proposition by asserting that a certain entity has intrinsic value in virtue of having certain non-evaluative features. This is a step that cannot be justified. In light of this negative result, we offer a radically different approach to intrinsic value. Our proposal reinterprets the claim that human beings have intrinsic value in terms of a commitment to value human beings intrinsically. This commitment provides both objective practical reasons for, and a rational explanation of, efforts aimed at defending and promoting human rights, without need to appeal to the existence of objective intrinsic value.  

Dennett on Breaking the Spell

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Rudder Baker
Keyword(s):  
Religious Belief ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Scientific Investigation ◽  
Intentional Stance ◽  
First Person ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Mimetic Theory ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Plausible Theory

Dennett’s has recently attempted to break the “spell” that prevents people from submitting their religious beliefs and practices to scientific investigation. But what spell is being broken? Religion is not a unified phenomenon. By supposing that it is, Dennett is led to adopt an implausible mimetic theory of religious belief, and to mistakenly assume that the presence of a Hyperactive Agency Detection Device would impugn religious belief. More troublingly, although religious beliefs and practices should be studied scientifically, it would be a mistake to treat science as the exclusive arbiter of reality. Dennett makes human beings (persons) seem like aggregates of parts. Such a view seems to have no room for human dignity, except as artifacts of an intentional stance. A plausible theory of human dignity would take people to be ontologically significant unities, who, on my view, have first-person perspectives essentially.

On Perceiving God

2019 ◽  
pp. 125-154
Author(s):  
Mark Baker ◽  
Dean Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Science ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Traditional Model ◽  
Religious Experiences ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Cognitive Science Of Religion ◽  
Belief In God ◽  
Perceptions Of God ◽  
Computational Resources

This chapter focuses on a gap in existing cognitive scientific explanations of religion: although they may explain various religious beliefs, they are weak at explaining religious experiences—including the very perception-like experiences that believers often take as grounding their belief in God. The account argues that cognitive science of religion (CSR) to date provides neither the full-blown concept of a deity nor dedicated cognitive resources for arriving at the perception of one. The gap is not inevitable, however: it is shown how certain religious experiences could indeed qualify as direct perceptions of God, on a traditional model of perception. Moreover, one can explain how humans acquired the conceptual and computational resources to perceive supernatural beings by supposing that human beings have actually interacted with such beings in evolutionarily significant ways throughout history. The chapter closes with some epistemic implications of looking at CSR in this “reformed” way.

scholarly journals Menumbuhkan nilai-nilai toleransi Dalam bingkai keragaman beragama

KALAM ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 165
Author(s):  
Ahmad Izzan
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Religious Diversity ◽  
Natural Process ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Religious Tolerance ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Empirical Reality ◽  
The Will

The attitude of religious tolerance is an attitude that should be embedded in everyday life and is an empirical reality that must be created on the authority of human beings who have a different religion. Differences in religion is born of a natural process by the will of God. For that plurality is sunnatullah unavoidable. The purpose of this paper is to determine the depth of the concept of religious tolerance that is contained in the Qur'an. As for the verses studied is about pluralism relating to religious tolerance, respect for diversity Syari'ah every religious community, religious freedom, prohibition of intervention in the affairs of other religious beliefs, and cooperation among religions. In doing research on inter-religious tolerance can conclude several things, first to foster the values of tolerance within the framework of religious diversity in fostering religion in general is substantive adhesive used for the harmony of inter-religious relations. Second, in the realm of interpretation differences and diverse religions generate a view that shari'ah of the Prophet Muhammad. is a compilation of the Shari'ah-shari'ah of the Prophet before. Hence the presence of the Shari'ah Prophet Muhammad not deny them, but to collect it into a single solid in one religion (Deen al-Wahid).

scholarly journals Locke on Persons and Personal Identity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Boeker
Keyword(s):  
Personal Identity ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Moral Accountability ◽  
Religious Dimensions ◽  
Per Se ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Philosophical Project ◽  
Philosophical Debates ◽  
Over Time

This book offers a new perspective on John Locke’s account of persons and personal identity by considering it within the context of his broader philosophical project and the philosophical debates of his day. Ruth Boeker’s interpretation emphasizes the importance of the moral and religious dimensions of his view. She argues that taking seriously Locke’s general approach to questions of identity over time, means that his account of personhood should be considered separately from his account of personal identity over time. On this basis, Boeker argues that Locke endorses a moral account of personhood, according to which persons are subjects of accountability, and that his particular thinking about moral accountability explains why he regards sameness of consciousness as necessary for personal identity over time. Moreover, she shows that Locke’s religious beliefs in an afterlife and a last judgement make it attractive to distinguish between the ideas of persons, human beings, and substances, and to defend a consciousness-based account of personal identity. In contrast to some neo-Lockean views about personal identity, she argues that Locke’s account of personal identity is not psychological per se, but rather his underlying moral, religious, metaphysical, and epistemic background beliefs are relevant for understanding why he argues for a consciousness-based account of personal identity. Taking his underlying background beliefs into consideration not only sheds light on why many of his early critics do not adopt Locke’s view, but also shows why his view cannot be as easily dismissed as some of his critics assume.

scholarly journals ‘When the Animals Came’: The Genesis and Writing of an Ecotheological Poem, with Commentary

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 487
Author(s):  
Hilary Davies
Keyword(s):  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Spiritual Belief ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Compositional Process

This article traces the genesis and composition of my poetic sequence, ‘When the Animals Came’ including as illustration of the poetic process a section from Part IV, ‘Spring’ with commentary. In order to understand the culture, art and religious beliefs of Paleolithic society, extensive research was needed, both at prehistoric sites, and in the archaeological literature, which I discuss; writing this poem also led me to re-assess how deeply and anciently faith is linked to our place in nature. Thus, the compositional process afforded me a new understanding of the complex relationship between humankind, environment and spiritual belief. Paleolithic culture engaged all three directly, seeing them as interdependent; this has considerable relevance to modern ecological concerns. My poem is an attempt to show creatively how such engagement constitutes part of our identity as human beings.

scholarly journals The symbols of environmental sustainability in Iranian religious beliefs by emphasizing on Zoroastrianism and Islam

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moeine Ossadat Hejazi ◽  
Behnam Sarbakhshian
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Indigenous Culture ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Historical Method ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
Research Findings

Environmental issues have always been one of the main axes ofsustainable development and the main challenges of the governments. The thing that has caused the most damage to nature is theover-exploitation of man from nature with modernist perspectives. It seems that human beings have a more peaceful, environmentallyfriendly attitude in the frameworks of traditional views. The two Zoroastrian and Islamic religions have had significant effects onIranian thought since the beginning of the formation of powerful ancient and historical powers in Iran. Religions have used symboliclanguages to express the deep concepts and the induction of internal effects. This study used a descriptive-historical method toidentify the symbols related to environmental in indigenous culture and dominant religious beliefs in Iran. The data was collected usingdocumentary research method. The research findings indicate that symbols can be categorized in six major groups including; symbolsof sky, wind, and celestial bodies: 1- moon, stars, sun and planets, 2- mountain, soil, rock, cave, desert, 3- water, river, fountains, 4-plants: flowers, trees, 5- animals, 6- fire and light. There is a close relationship between Zoroastrian and Islamic beliefs toward elementsof nature, in which respect for nature is considered as religious duties. Various symbols have emerged because of these beliefs inIranian culture that have the ability to capture cultural, literary and artistic realms, sustainable architecture and urbanization on a regional, national, and international scale in order to preserve and restore the environment.

scholarly journals Kebebasan yang Memerdekakan: Sumbangsih Pemikiran Filsafat Anarkisme Epistemologis Paul K. Feyerabend Terhadap Pemahaman Radikalisme Agama

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Rumondang Lumban Gaol
Keyword(s):  
Research Method ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Individual Freedom ◽  
Human Knowledge ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Paul Feyerabend ◽  
Religious Radicalism ◽  
Individual Human

AbstractThis article discusses whether it is true that the biblical texts legitimize religious radicalism. Religious radical movements are present and carry out very violent actions, this is due to religious beliefs that are held as absolute, imposing their beliefs without seeing the beliefs of other parties so as to deny the freedom of others. The purpose of this study is to explore the philosophical thought of Paul Feyerabend’s epistemological anarchism and then see its relevance to the understanding of religious radicalism. The research method used in this paper is a literature study (library). Through this research study, it can be concluded that there is no single truth that can control and regulate human knowledge (Against Method); man must Anything Goes; knowledge cannot be measured by the same standard; and lastly is the concept of individual freedom, individual human beings must be free. AbstrakArtikel ini membahas tentang benarkah teks-teks Kitab Suci melegitimasi radikalisme agama. Munculnya berbagai gerakan-gerakan radikal agama dan melakukan aksi-aksi yang tergolong sangat kasar disebabkan pemahaman kebenaran yang dianut sebagai kebenaran mutlak, memaksakan kebenarannya tanpa melihat kebenaran pihak lain sehingga mengkungkung kebebasan orang lain. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengeksplorasi pemikiran filsafat anarkisme epistimologis Paul Feyerabend kemudian melihat titik relevansinya terhadap pemahaman radikalisme agama. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam tulisan ini adalah studi literatur (kepustakaan). Melalui kajian penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa tidak ada kebenaran yang tunggal yang dapat menguasai dan mengatur pengetahuan manusia (Against Method); manusia harus Anything Goes; pengetahuan tidak bisa diukur dengan standar yang sama; dan terakhir adalah konsep kebebasan individu, manusia individual harus bebas.

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