Belief, Knowledge and Faith: A Logical Modal Theory

Foundations of Science 26 (2):453-474 (2020)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The concept of God is studied using the ontological argument of Anselm of Canterbury that proves God’s existence using a syllogism based on ontology. Unlike metaphysical arguments that demonstrate the existence of God through the study of being and its attributes, the ontological argument aims to reach this same goal based on a concept of God by means of the idea of an entity “greater than anything that can be conceived”. Descartes’ influence highlighted some of the philosophical difficulties with the inherent dualism implicit in ontology. Logic does not say whether ideas are true or false, as Logic is concerned with right or wrong inference. We take a non-dualist approach in contrast to some of the approaches reviewed. To investigate belief and faith, a modal logical formalization is used, especially modal logic S5, which we find appropriate for presenting arguments. While mathematics and logic can convince, they do not help one to believe in God. This can make us think that reason is not enough to accept God, one must have faith to have access to Him. The relation between reason and faith needs clarification, and the ontological argument requires an unsustainable dualism.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,616

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

A Logical Choice.Tracy Lupher - 2012 - Southwest Philosophy Review 28 (1):237-246.
A Logical Choice.Tracy Lupher - 2012 - Southwest Philosophy Review 28 (1):237-246.
Modal Logic vs. Ontological Argument.Andrezej Biłat - 2012 - European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 4 (2):179--185.
On Tracy Lupher’s “A Logical Choice".Klaus Ladstaetter - 2012 - Southwest Philosophy Review 28 (2):101-106.
The Modal Ontological Argument Meets Modal Fictionalism.Ted Parent - 2016 - Analytic Philosophy 57 (4):338-352.
Anselm's other argument.A. D. Smith - 2014 - Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Faith, Belief and Fictionalism.Finlay Malcolm & Michael Scott - 2017 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 98 (S1):257-274.
Variation on a Trivialist Argument of Paul Kabay.Lloyd Humberstone - 2011 - Journal of Logic, Language and Information 20 (1):115-132.
The modal ontological argument.R. Kane - 1984 - Mind 93 (371):336-350.
Faith and the Existence of God: Faith and Rationality.D. C. Barrett - 1988 - Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement 24:135-143.

Analytics

Added to PP
2020-06-02

Downloads
21 (#630,965)

6 months
4 (#319,344)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

Tractatus logico-philosophicus.Ludwig Wittgenstein - 1922 - Filosoficky Casopis 52:336-341.
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus.Ludwig Wittgenstein - 1956 - Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia 12 (1):109-110.
An introduction to modal logic.G. E. Hughes - 1968 - London,: Methuen. Edited by M. J. Cresswell.
God, freedom, and evil.Alvin Plantinga - 1978 - Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Tractatus logico-philosophicus.Ludwig Wittgenstein (ed.) - 1933 - New York,: Harcourt, Brace.

View all 25 references / Add more references