Reformed Epistemology and the Problem of Religious Diversity: Proper Function, Epistemic Disagreement, and Christian Exclusivism

by Joseph Kim

Overview

Can Christian belief be warranted? Can someone hold to Christian exclusivism even in the face of mutually exclusive religious belief systems? In contemporary philosophy of religion there has been much debate about whether the diversity of mutually exclusive religious beliefs is a good reason to give up any form of religious exclusivism. Amidst this discussion, the Christian exclusivist claims that the tenets of Christianity are true, and mutually exclusive religious views are false. Opponents of Christian belief argue, however, that the diversity of mutually exclusive religious beliefs is a good reason to give up one's Christian exclusivism. This is the problem of religious diversity for Christian exclusivism. In this book, Joseph Kim defends Christian belief in conversation with the problem of religious diversity and argues that mutually exclusive religious beliefs do not serve as defeaters for Christian belief. Kim engages Alvin Plantinga's proper function account of warrant and argues that the Christian exclusivist need not give up her Christian belief when faced with the problem of religious diversity even when she is unable to give an argument for the truth of Christian belief to those that disagree. This book also explores the areas surrounding the problem of religious diversity and serves as a good introduction to the central issues that intersect contemporary epistemology and the philosophy of religion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781630879761
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	06/08/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	124
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Joseph Kim is the founding president of Genesis International College of Osaka, Japan. Previously, he taught philosophy and business ethics for several universities in the United States. His first book, Reformed Epistemology and the Problem of Religious Diversity, is at the intersection of epistemology and the philosophy of religion. He is currently working on a second book on the topic of personal strategy. He has lectured on leadership, organizational strategy, philosophy, and missions for various non-profit organizations, churches, conferences, and universities throughout North America, Africa, and Asia. He is an alum of Harvard Business School and Arizona State University, where he received his PhD in philosophy.

Table of Contents

Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1 Introduction Identifying the Problem The Moral and Epistemic Objection Prospectus 2 Warrant, Proper Function, and Christian Belief Proper Function and Design Plan An Objection to Externalism: Bonjour An Objection to Externalism: Bonjour on Armstrong A Proper Function Response to Bonjour's Counterexample Perception and Proper Function The Extended A/C Model and Proper Function 3 Epistemic Disagreement and the Equal Weight Theory Epistemic Disagreement: Kelly Two Additional Cases The Equal Weight Theory The Problem of Religious Diversity and the Equal Weight Theory 4 The Great Pumpkin Objection The Nature of Defeaters The Son of Great Pumpkin Objection: Martin and DeRose The Son of Great Pumpkin Objection: A Response 5 The Internalist Criterion and the Inadequacy Thesis Reformed Epistemology and the Internalist Criterion: Willard Reformed Epistemology and the Internalist Criterion: A Response The Inadequacy Thesis: Baker The Inadequacy Thesis: A Response Contents 6 The Central Issue of Religious Exclusivism Hick on the Central Issue of Religious Exclusivism Retrospection Bibliography Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1 Introduction Identifying the Problem The Moral and Epistemic Objection Prospectus 2 Warrant, Proper Function, and Christian Belief Proper Function and Design Plan An Objection to Externalism: Bonjour An Objection to Externalism: Bonjour on Armstrong A Proper Function Response to Bonjour's Counterexample Perception and Proper Function The Extended A/C Model and Proper Function 3 Epistemic Disagreement and the Equal Weight Theory Epistemic Disagreement: Kelly Two Additional Cases The Equal Weight Theory The Problem of Religious Diversity and the Equal Weight Theory 4 The Great Pumpkin Objection The Nature of Defeaters The Son of Great Pumpkin Objection: Martin and DeRose The Son of Great Pumpkin Objection: A Response 5 The Internalist Criterion and the Inadequacy Thesis Reformed Epistemology and the Internalist Criterion: Willard Reformed Epistemology and the Internalist Criterion: A Response The Inadequacy Thesis: Baker The Inadequacy Thesis: A Response Contents 6 The Central Issue of Religious Exclusivism Hick on the Central Issue of Religious Exclusivism Retrospection Bibliography

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Joseph Kim's extremely careful, judicious, and accurate defense of Christian belief deserves a wide readership."
—Alvin Plantinga
John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy
University of Notre Dame

"Reformed Epistemology—one of the more important and controversial movements in recent epistemology of religion—has been criticized for failing to deal adequately with issues stemming from religious disagreement. In this helpful work, Joseph Kim carefully explains Alvin Plantinga's version of Reformed Epistemology and defends it against criticisms based upon religious diversity and disagreement."
—Harold Netland
Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Intercultural Studies
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Joseph Kim's Reformed Epistemology and the Problem of Religious Diversity is a careful, perceptive, and well informed study of one important family of objections to Alvin Plantinga's version of Reformed Epistemology. It should be of interest not only to readers of Plantinga, but also those who are concerned about the rationality of exclusive religious belief and those who have been following recent debates about the epistemology of informed disagreement."
—Steven L. Reynolds
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Arizona State University

Editorial Reviews

"Joseph Kim's extremely careful, judicious, and accurate defense of Christian belief deserves a wide readership."Alvin Plantinga, John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame"Joseph Kim's Reformed Epistemology and the Problem of Religious Diversity is a careful, perceptive, and well informed study of one important family of objections to Alvin Plantinga's version of Reformed Epistemology."Steven L. Reynolds, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Arizona State University"The book is clearly written and the more technical philosophical statements are elaborated in plain English. Its strength is in its brevity (108 pages) and clear objectives: it serves as a very good survey of the philosophical challenges levelled at Reformed Epistemology."Robert Shillaker, University of Highlands & Islands, in Theological Book Review , Vol 25, No 1 "The book is valuable both for experts in these fields, for professors and students, but also for any reader who might be less familiar with the instruments of epistemology but interested in brilliant argumentation regarding one of the current and controversial problems of today's world: diversity and pluralism of (religious) beliefs, which ignites the question of tolerance and unity."Ramona Hosu, Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, vol.12, issue 34 (Spring)"This is an elegant, demanding, and tightly argued case on behalf of Alvin's Plantinga's defense of Christian exclusivism."Gavin D'Costa, Reviews in Religion & Theology, vol 22, issues 1, January 2015"...an analysis of Alvin Plantinga's arguments for Christian exclusivism as opposed to a plurality of religious belief. He weighs up the pros and cons of this view, and comes down in favour of Plantinga."Church Times, 29th May 2015

From the Publisher

This is an elegant, demanding, and tightly argued case on behalf of Alvin's Plantinga's defense of Christian exclusivism.

Reviews in Religion & Theology, vol 22, issues 1, January 2015 - Gavin D'Costa

The book is valuable both for experts in these fields, for professors and students, but also for any reader who might be less familiar with the instruments of epistemology but interested in brilliant argumentation regarding one of the current and controversial problems of today’s world: diversity and pluralism of (religious) beliefs, which ignites the question of tolerance and unity.

Journal for the Study of Religious and Ideologies, vol.12, issue 34 (Spring) - Ramona Hosu

…an analysis of Alvin Plantinga's arguments for Christian exclusivism as opposed to a plurality of religious belief. He weighs up the pros and cons of this view, and comes down in favour of Plantinga.

29th May 2015 Church Times