Is Supernatural Belief Unreliably Formed?

H.M.R.A. van Eyghen

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-24
Number of pages24
JournalInternational Journal for Philosophy of Religion
Volume85
Issue number2
Early online date5 May 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2019

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