What Can Evolved Minds Know of God? An Assessment from the Standpoint of Evolutionary Epistemology
Humans can only act successfully in the world because many of their mental concepts of that world—for example, three-dimensional space—are objectively valid: hence the approach of evolutionary epistemology (EE). An overall world picture, “Umwelt,” is peculiar to each animal species as their sensory...
| Published in: | Zygon |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
2022
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| In: |
Zygon
Year: 2022, Volume: 57, Issue: 1, Pages: 25-45 |
| Further subjects: | B
apophatic theology
B Apostles' Creed B William Wordsworth B Pseudo-dionysius B Konrad Lorenz B Environment B evolutionary epistemology |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Humans can only act successfully in the world because many of their mental concepts of that world—for example, three-dimensional space—are objectively valid: hence the approach of evolutionary epistemology (EE). An overall world picture, “Umwelt,” is peculiar to each animal species as their sensory functions differ, but the concept of Cause is widespread and fundamental: it leads humans to an idea of God as Cause of creation. But further certain knowledge of God is impossible, theology must be Apophatic: Pseudo-Dionysius and Wordsworth provide examples. The Apostles’ Creed is considered from the standpoint of EE: its metaphysical claims are meaningless but the human aspects remain wholly acceptable. Fuller theological pictures will be sustainable only on an “as if” basis. Any more positive theological position is increasingly dangerous, and claims of certainty can never be upheld. |
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| ISSN: | 1467-9744 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Zygon
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12739 |