Fideism
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| - | :''[[atheism]]'' | + | :''[[faith]]'' |
| - | The espousal of atheistic views was rare in Europe during the [[Early Middle Ages]] and [[Middle Ages]] (see [[Medieval Inquisition]]); metaphysics, religion and theology were the dominant interests. | + | '''Fideism''' is an [[epistemology|epistemological theory]] which maintains that faith is independent of [[reason]], or that reason and faith are hostile to each other and faith is superior at arriving at particular [[truth]]s (see [[natural theology]]). The word ''fideism'' comes from ''fides'', the Latin word for faith, and literally means "faith[[-ism]]." |
| - | There were, however, movements within this period that forwarded heterodox conceptions of the Christian God, including differing views of the nature, transcendence, and knowability of God. Individuals and groups such as [[Johannes Scotus Eriugena]], [[David of Dinant]], [[Amalric of Bena]], and the [[Brethren of the Free Spirit]] maintained Christian viewpoints with [[pantheism|pantheistic]] tendencies. [[Nicholas of Cusa]] held to a form of [[fideism]] he called ''[[De Docta Ignorantia|docta ignorantia]]'' ("learned ignorance"), asserting that God is beyond human categorization, and our knowledge of God is limited to conjecture. [[William of Ockham]] inspired anti-metaphysical tendencies with his [[nominalism|nominalistic]] limitation of human knowledge to singular objects, and asserted that the divine [[essence]] could not be intuitively or rationally apprehended by human intellect. Followers of Ockham, such as [[John of Mirecourt]] and [[Nicholas of Autrecourt]] furthered this view. The resulting division between faith and reason influenced later theologians such as [[John Wycliffe]], [[Jan Hus]], and [[Martin Luther]]. | + | == In culture == |
| + | [[Douglas Adams]], in ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', uses his [[Babel fish (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)|Babel fish]] to demonstrate a rationalist/fideist paradox: | ||
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| + | :''"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."'' | ||
| + | :''"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that You exist, and so therefore, by Your own arguments, You don't. Q.E.D."'' | ||
| + | :''"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.'' | ||
| + | :''"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.'' | ||
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| + | == See also == | ||
| + | * [[Existence of God]] | ||
| + | * [[Agnostic theism]] | ||
| + | * [[Christian existentialism]] | ||
| + | * (contrast) [[Liberal Christianity]] | ||
| + | * (contrast) [[Scholasticism]] | ||
| + | * [[Sola fide]], the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] belief that Christians are saved by [[faith]] in Christ alone | ||
| - | The [[Renaissance]] did much to expand the scope of freethought and skeptical inquiry. Individuals such as [[Leonardo da Vinci]] sought experimentation as a means of explanation, and opposed [[Appeal to authority|arguments from religious authority]]. Other critics of religion and the Church during this time included [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], [[Bonaventure des Périers]], and [[François Rabelais]]. | ||
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Fideism is an epistemological theory which maintains that faith is independent of reason, or that reason and faith are hostile to each other and faith is superior at arriving at particular truths (see natural theology). The word fideism comes from fides, the Latin word for faith, and literally means "faith-ism."
[edit]
In culture
Douglas Adams, in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, uses his Babel fish to demonstrate a rationalist/fideist paradox:
- "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
- "But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that You exist, and so therefore, by Your own arguments, You don't. Q.E.D."
- "Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
- "Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.
[edit]
See also
- Existence of God
- Agnostic theism
- Christian existentialism
- (contrast) Liberal Christianity
- (contrast) Scholasticism
- Sola fide, the Protestant belief that Christians are saved by faith in Christ alone
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