Summary Statements - 4 of X - Descartes, plausibility structures, purpose/values
Descartes was a key Enlightenment figure in that he claimed that the goal of human “knowing” enterprise is to obtain “certain” knowledge. “I think, therefore I am” was his starting point. As will be discussed later, no scientific knowledge is certain (problem of induction).
(need good summary of Descartes' thinking – reference?)
These ideas, as developed over the centuries since 1600 or so, resulted in a (false) dualism in how we are able to know things (epistemology):
Modern science proclaims that objective (certain, neutral) knowledge (value-free facts) is obtained via the scientific method and is available to everyone (modern science = truth).
Subjective knowledge (values, religious knowledge) is known by faith and is private/personal, and can never the known with certainty (e.g., all religious beliefs, including Christianity = opinion).
Note: The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus is NOT considered a “fact” in this schema as the scientific method is not able to test and confirm it (even though it is the most important “fact” in all of history).
This approach defines the accepted “plausibility structure” of the modern Western world in which we have all been raised and which we all take for granted. This approach provides the “rose colored glasses” through which we view all of life.
The accepted “plausibility structure” assumes that (objective) truth can only be known via the (mathematical formulas of the) scientific method, and that such truth can be known with certainty, and that anybody can know such truth if they will just repeat the scientific method for themselves on the subject of interest. This “plausibility structure” relegates all other “knowledge,” including religious beliefs, esp. Christianity, to subjective knowledge, that can only be “known” privately. This includes all statements about purpose and values.
Questions to be answered:
What is “certain knowledge”?
What is epistemology?
What is objective knowledge?
What is subjective knowledge?
What is plausibility structure?
Is the Lordship of Christ a fact?
Other questions ….
