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Fideism Is Inferior To Rationalism' 25

The document discusses whether fideism or rationalism is superior when it comes to religious belief. It acknowledges that some argue fideism is better suited for religion since religious concepts cannot be proven. However, the document argues rationalism is preferable to prevent unethical beliefs from being imposed on others. Rationalism also provides clarity and order, while fideism's subjectivity can be dangerous. While some counter that clarifying beliefs changes their meaning, the conclusion maintains rationalism is superior since failing to reason with religious beliefs could cause issues in modern societies.

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61 views2 pages

Fideism Is Inferior To Rationalism' 25

The document discusses whether fideism or rationalism is superior when it comes to religious belief. It acknowledges that some argue fideism is better suited for religion since religious concepts cannot be proven. However, the document argues rationalism is preferable to prevent unethical beliefs from being imposed on others. Rationalism also provides clarity and order, while fideism's subjectivity can be dangerous. While some counter that clarifying beliefs changes their meaning, the conclusion maintains rationalism is superior since failing to reason with religious beliefs could cause issues in modern societies.

Uploaded by

archie fowler
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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‘Fideism is inferior to rationalism’ 25, Evaluate

this claim with reference to religious belief. (25)

I agree with the statement, I firmly believe that Fideism is inferior to


Rationalism and will justify my belief. I will be writing about why Fideism is
logical when put in practise with religion, as opposed to secular and natural
beliefs, and offer a criticism to this. Why rationalism is more ethical than
fideism, and I will criticise this, and lastly, I will conclude.

Some might argue that fideism is logical for those who are religious, and I
somewhat agree with them. They would argue that because religion is such a
bizarre idea (whether these religions are true or not), it cannot be proven, or
even justified, either way by reason, one must use faith alone, in other words,
one must use fideism as opposed to reasoning with their beliefs, as that would
get you nowhere. Pascal would agree heavily on this point, he would argue it
would be stupid to believe in God in the absence of evidence and that one
should have faith in the absence of evidence, no matter what.

However, these arguments are flawed, a strong rationalist would say that
without reasoning with our faith can lead to unethical circumstances. Take for
example a modern day, scriptural literalist Christian, the Bible states that
homosexuality is wrong and that those to partake should be persecuted. Quite
obviously, this is not the case in the modern age and thus meaning that it should
not be taken as it comes, and that one should look to reason with their beliefs
and ideas before inflicting them onto others.
Continuing on, this reasoning of people’s beliefs not only culturally conditions
these beliefs, but also can strengthen said belief in the process, after all you
cannot fix something if you don’t know that there is a problem with it.
Rationalism also provides a very strong basis for society, take for example, two
different societies/cultures that run either on fideism or rationalism; at face
value, the more ordered society would, of course, be the rationalist one as a
result of the fact that fideism is far too subjective, dangerous and unclear to
work in a community of people. This poor clarity is only emphasised by the
various contradicting beliefs within faiths in order to prevent this one must
reason to solidify and clarify their beliefs.

In contrast to the points raised about rationalism, one may argue that the point
of fideism is not concerned with ‘clarity’ or how dangerous the beliefs may be,
they would say that it is the beliefs alone that matter, especially when it comes
to something that cannot be physically proven like religion. They could also
argue that the beliefs are not being strengthened when people use their reason,
they may say that the beliefs are being twisted into something that you may not
really believe in, and that you are only conforming to the societal norm.

In conclusion, I still firmly believe that fideism is inferior to rationalism; the


single most important reason that this is the case, in my view, is that if peoples
had not reasoned with their beliefs or even put them to the test it can cause
unease in such a delicate modern age, this is illustrated by the example about
homosexuality with Christianity I mentioned earlier.

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