RT Article
T1 What Can Evolved Minds Know of God? An Assessment from the Standpoint of Evolutionary Epistemology
JF Zygon
VO 57
IS 1
SP 25
OP 45
A1 Spurway, Neil 1936-
LA English
PB Wiley-Blackwell
YR 2022
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1799696987
AB 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.
K1 William Wordsworth
K1 Umwelt
K1 Pseudo-dionysius
K1 Konrad Lorenz
K1 evolutionary epistemology
K1 Apostles' Creed
K1 apophatic theology
DO 10.1111/zygo.12739