 |
| Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > General Chat > Yo, Corey!: Properly Basic Beliefs | Forum Quick Jump
|
| 
One Love
Registered Member
Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 13888
| Posted 10/28/2005 10:40 AM (GMT -6) |   | Corey:
Perhaps a better example in illustrating a problem with properly basic beliefs possibly conflicting with actuality is that of the Coepernican revolution. It appears directly to our senses that some planets exhibit retrograde motion. It appears directly to our senses that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. So we conclude that it's the sun that moves, not the earth.
This points out why I was wanting a distinction between worldview and properly basic beliefs. The sense perceptions about the sun and the planets are valid, and do not require argument to justify them. However, it's the next step that we need to be careful about, the step where we begin to draw inferences, the step where earlier people concluded that the sun goes around the earth. Just note that this was a conclusion, and not a properly basic belief in itself.
GREAT example, Corey.
Here's the thing. I can see how modest foundationalism can be a viable epistemological stance generally. I dig it. But, from where I stand, there's a problem of how "basic" is basic.
From the perspective of religious experience (which is what I'm really interested in here)...
Is it possible for properly basic beliefs "indexed" to concepts and the possible biases that those concepts may carry?
If a being has an overwhelming, undefinable experience of something "other" that may sometimes elicit more describable things like awe, reverence, oneness, wisdom, etc.
OR...
If a being has an exerience of something "other" that is perceived to have mind-like quality (however this is interpreted)...
...how would THIS CONSCIOUS EXPERIENCE (which, I think, would be properly basic) translate to being an experience of "God." Let alone your particular interpretion of that experience being true, even if it were "God" (We know that there are many.)
Let's go with you. First, your basic beliefs...
I have encountered God. Now that I have, I cannot deny that he exists. I cannot deny that I am loved by him. I cannot deny that he is the Truth and that he holds all I need or desire. I just simply know that, no argument needed here. Furthermore, as I read scripture I just simply know that in and through it God purposes to reveal himself further to me, and to share the story of what he's been up to in the world. These are a few of the properly basic beliefs that I can form into propositional statements. But there's a deeper music that I know, and can't convey.
When you say "God" what do you mean by it? What does "God" mean? Think about when you FIRST got some content about the word "God" Now, think about that content. Next, think about your "encounter" experience in it's MOST RAW form. Does this experience non-inferentially justify your belief that "God" exists?
Did your experience FILL IN some kind of mental category that you had ALREADY HELD? Did you have an experience and then had another person interpret it FOR you?
What if I were to tell you that you were experiencing "yelfidos"? Would you tell me "No, I encountered God"?
I'm sorry if I'm being unclear, but do you see what I'm trying to say?
The newest mantra:
God graciously FINDS us meaningful when God doesn't need to do it and we, in ourselves, can't do it.
"Hmm. Why not? What the hell. Let's try it."
--God
| | Back to Top | | |
 | 26 posts in this thread.
Viewing Page : 1 2 |
| Forum Information | Currently it is Monday, November 09, 2026 6:16 PM (GMT -6)
There are a total of 97,718 posts in 6,040 threads.
In the last 3 days there were 0 new threads and 0 reply posts. View Active Threads
|
Forum powered by dotNetBB v2.42EC SP3
dotNetBB © 2000-2026 |
|
|