Is supernatural belief unreliably formed?

I criticize 5 arguments for the conclusion that religious belief is unreliably formed and hence epistemically tainted. The arguments draw on scientific evidence from Cognitive Science of Religion. They differ considerably as to why the evidence points to unreliability. Two arguments conclude to unre...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Eyghen, Hans van ca. 21. Jh. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer Nature B. V [2019]
In: International journal for philosophy of religion
Year: 2019, Volume: 85, Issue: 2, Pages: 125-148
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B The Supernatural / Faith / Kognitive Religionswissenschaft
IxTheo Classification:AA Study of religion
AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism
AE Psychology of religion
Further subjects:B Reliabilism
B Religious Epistemology
B cognitive science of religion
B Rationality of religious belief
B debunking arguments
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:I criticize 5 arguments for the conclusion that religious belief is unreliably formed and hence epistemically tainted. The arguments draw on scientific evidence from Cognitive Science of Religion. They differ considerably as to why the evidence points to unreliability. Two arguments conclude to unreliability because religious belief is shaped by evolutionary pressures; another argument states that the mechanism responsible for religious belief produces many false god-beliefs; a similar argument claims that the mechanism produces incompatible god-beliefs; and a final argument states that the mechanism is offtrack. I argue that the arguments fail to make the case for unreliability or that the unreliability can be overcome.
ISSN:1572-8684
Contains:Enthalten in: International journal for philosophy of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s11153-018-9671-4