چکیده:
According to Plantinga’s reformed epistemology, as perceptual beliefs, religious beliefs are properly basic, and therefore need no additional justification. But as it has been said frequently, this idea may lead to relativism. In this paper, first, we argue that not only its relativistic aspect allows for religious extremism, but also it could be used to justify that kind of extremism. Then, reciting some historical testimonies, including John Calvin, Khawarij, Ibn Taymiyye and Seyyed Qutb, we suggest that in principle, for many centuries extremists have derived a benefit from an idea similar to reformed epistemology to justify committing violence and other unacceptable behaviors.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Then, reciting some historical testimonies, including John Calvin, Khawarij, Ibn Taymiyye and Seyyed Qutb, we suggest that in principle, for many centuries extremists have derived a benefit from an idea similar to reformed epistemology to justify committing violence and other unacceptable behaviors.
Keywords: Alvin Plantinga, reformed epistemology, religious extremism, relativism.
In other words, “ It is entirely right, rational, reasonable, and proper to believe in God without any evidence or argument at all” (Plantinga, 1983: 17).
The great pumpkin objection and religious extremism This assertion that believe in God is properly basic, confronted with many objections, which the most important of them is the great pumpkin objection.
Every religious extremist appeal to something similar to sense of Divinity, otherwise he never could stimulate his followers to do what he finds as right choice.
In practice, if, on the ground of something like the sense of Divinity as well as my military, religious or charismatic power, I insist on my radical beliefs and realizing them, which results in committing violence, how you can stop me by arguing against my opinions or by appealing to universal moral rules, or something like them?
According to him, even concerning theological aspect of religion, for example, the existence of God, only Quran gives true rational reasons.
(Ibn Taymiyye, 1972: 158( Inspired Ibne Teymiyye, Seyyed Qutb based the new form of religious extremism in the Islamic world.