View source for Philosophy:Rational fideism

{{also|Faith and rationality}}
'''Rational fideism''' is the [[Philosophy:Philosophy|philosophical]] view that considers [[Philosophy:Faith|faith]] to be precursor for any reliable [[Philosophy:Knowledge|knowledge]].  Every [[Philosophy:Paradigm|paradigm]]atic system, whether one considers [[Philosophy:Rationalism|rationalism]] or [[Philosophy:Empiricism|empiricism]], is based on [[Axiom|axiom]]s that are neither self-founding nor self-evident (see the [[Philosophy:Münchhausen trilemma|Münchhausen trilemma]]), so it appeals to assumptions accepted as [[Philosophy:Belief|belief]] (in [[Philosophy:Reason|reason]] or [[Philosophy:Experience|experience]] respectively). Thus, faith is basic to knowability. On the other hand, such a conclusion is reached not with an act of faith but with reasoning, a rational argumentation.

== Definitions ==
"Rational fideism" has been defined variously. The following are some definitions.

For [[Biography:Joseph Glanvill|Joseph Glanvill]] rational fideism is the view that "Faith, and faith alone, is the basis for our belief in our reason. We believe in our reason because we believe in God's veracity. We do not try to prove that God is truthful; we believe this. Thus, faith in God gives us faith in reason, which in turn "justifies" our belief that God is no deceiver."<ref>Richard H. Popkin, ''The History of Scepticism,'' Oxford University Press, 2003, p. 213.</ref>

Richard Popkin sees rational fideism as the opposite of "pure, blind, fideism".<ref>Ira O.Wade, ''Intellectual Origins of the French Enlightenment,'' Princeton University Press, 1971, p. 552.</ref>

Similarly, Domenic Marbaniang sees rational fideism as "the view that the knowledge of God can be certified through faith alone that is based on a revelation that is rationally verified."<ref name="Marbaniang">{{cite thesis |type=PhD |last=Marbaniang |first=Domenic Savio |year=2007 |institution=ACTS Academy of Higher Education |title=Epistemics of Divine Reality |url=https://www.academia.edu/38226207}}</ref> Observing that the way of both [[Philosophy:Rationalism|rationalism]] and [[Philosophy:Empiricism|empiricism]] towards the knowledge of ultimate or transcendent reality is bleak, he thinks that while [[Philosophy:Fideism|fideism]] is the view that truth in religion rests solely on faith and not on a reasoning process, rational fideism "holds that truth in religion rests solely on faith; not blind faith, but faith that can give rational and cogent answers or reason to warrant the belief."<ref name="Marbaniang"/>

According to [[Biography:C. Stephen Evans|C. Stephen Evans]], rational fideism involves the possibility of reason becoming self-critical. Seeing it as the kind of responsible fideism, he states, "If human reason has limitations and also has some ability to recognise those limitations, then the possibility of responsible fideism emerges."<ref>{{cite book |first=Charles Stephen |last=Evans |title=Faith Beyond Reason |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wVi5wAEACAAJ |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |year=1998 |page=55 |isbn=9780748607945}}</ref> Evans states that not only does reason have limitations, it is also tainted by sin making one entitled to faith where reason fails.<ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD |last=Butcher |first=Matthew P. |year=2013 |institution=Loyola University Chicago  |title=Fideism, Evidentialism, and the Epistemology of Religious Belief|url=https://ecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1507&context=luc_diss}}</ref>

Patrick J. Clarke defines rational fideism as the approach that sees "reason as capable of providing the intellectual foundation of faith, not ''a priori'' but ''a posteriori'', much as philosophy provides an intellectual foundation to theology."<ref>{{cite book |first=Patrick J. |last=Clarke |title=Examining Philosophy and Ethics. Answers for A Level Nelson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6oquI2LG5UMC |publisher=Nelson Thornes |location=Cheltenham |year=2002 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6oquI2LG5UMC&dq=%22reason+as+capable+of+providing+the+intellectual+foundation+of+faith,+not+a+priori+but+a+posteriori,+much+as+philosophy+provides+an+intellectual+foundation+to+theology%22&pg=PA28 28] |isbn=9780748760091}}</ref>

==Arguments for rational fideism==
[[Biography:Brendan Sweetman|Brendan Sweetman]] notes a type of rational fideism as a view developed by some thinkers who hold that the pragmatic spiritual and moral success of believing in God on faith alone could be used as an "indirect argument for the truth of fideism."<ref>{{cite book |editor-last1=Copan |editor-first1=Paul |editor-last2=Longman III |editor-first2=Tremper |editor-link2=Tremper Longman |editor-last3=Reese |editor-first3=Christopher L. |editor-last4=Strauss |editor-first4=Michael |last=Sweetman |first=Brendan |title=Dictionary of Christianity and Science. The Definitive Reference for the Intersection of Christian Faith and Contemporary Science |publisher=Zondervan |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |year=2017 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=rUxsDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA282 282] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rUxsDAAAQBAJ |isbn=9780310496069}}</ref>

==See also==
* {{slink|Metaphysics#Science}}
* [[Philosophy:Fideism|Fideism]]
* [[Religion:Religious epistemology|Religious epistemology]]
* [[Philosophy:Philosophical theology|Philosophical theology]]
* [[Religion:Philosophy of religion|Philosophy of religion]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite encyclopedia <!-- https://plato.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/encyclopedia/archinfo.cgi?entry=fideism -->|last=Amesbury |first=Richard |editor-last=Zalta |editor-first=Edward N. |chapter=4. A Rational Fideism? |chapter-url=https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2022/entries/fideism/#4 |title=Fideism |encyclopedia=[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]] |edition=Summer 2022}}
* {{cite journal |last=Insole |first=Christopher |title='Kierkegaard': A Reasonable Fideist? |journal=The Heythrop Journal |date=October 1998 |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=363–378 |doi=10.1111/1468-2265.00084|doi-access=free }}

[[Category:Epistemology of religion]]
[[Category:Foundationalism]]
[[Category:History of logic]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Rationalism]]
[[Category:Empiricism]]
[[Category:Theology]]
[[Category:Faith]]
[[Category:Theories of justification]]

{{Sourceattribution|Rational fideism}}