Religion, Interpretation and Diversity of Belief: The Framework Model from Kant to Durkheim to DavidsonDifferent religious traditions offer apparently very different pictures of the world. How are we to make sense of this radical diversity of religious belief? In this book, Professor Godlove argues that religions are alternative conceptual frameworks, the categories of which organise experience in diverse ways. He traces the history of this idea from Kant to Durkheim, and then proceeds to discuss two constraints on the diversity of all human judgment and belief: first that human experience is made possible by shared, a priori rules, and second, that as language-users we must presuppose that we hold the vast bulk of our beliefs in common. Given these unavoidable constraints, it is clear how religions may offer encompassing symbolic systems that often diverge dramatically from one another. 'An original and brilliant critique of Durkheim and Kant from within the framework of Davidson's semantic theory. This book is required reading for anyone interested in the academic study of religion, and the problems of relativism and the diversity of belief.' -- Hans H. Penner, Dartmouth CollegeDifferent religious traditions offer apparently very different pictures of the world. How are we to make sense of this radical diversity of religious belief? In this book, Professor Godlove argues that religions are alternative conceptual frameworks, the categories of which organise experience in diverse ways. He traces the history of this idea from Kant to Durkheim, and then proceeds to discuss two constraints on the diversity of all human judgment and belief: first that human experience is made possible by shared, a priori rules, and second, that as language-users we must presuppose that we hold the vast bulk of our beliefs in common. Given these unavoidable constraints, it is clear how religions may offer encompassing symbolic systems that often diverge dramatically from one another. 'An original and brilliant critique of Durkheim and Kant from within the framework of Davidson's semantic theory. This book is required reading for anyone interested in the academic study of religion, and the problems of relativism and the diversity of belief.' -- Hans H. Penner, Dartmouth College |
Contents
Objectivity suicide euthanasia | 8 |
Qualitative unity | 16 |
Empirical diversity | 32 |
Chapter 2 | 38 |
The move to religion | 46 |
Kant on Durkheim | 52 |
Chapter 3 | 64 |
Organizing experience and the world | 70 |
Chapter 5 | 122 |
The unity of reason | 130 |
Kant | 137 |
further considerations | 144 |
CONCLUSION | 151 |
Notes | 159 |
64 | 190 |
| 195 | |
Other editions - View all
Religion, Interpretation and Diversity of Belief: The Framework Model from ... Terry F. Godlove No preview available - 1989 |
Common terms and phrases
able action agreement alternative apparently approach argues argument calls causal cause Chapter charity claim coherence comes common conceptual conceptual frameworks connection constraints course criticism Critique Davidson depends discussion distinction diversity Durkheim empirical epistemology error example existence experience express fact formal forms framework model given hand historical hold human idea identify interpretation intuition judgments Kant Kant's Kantian kind knowledge least limited matters meaning moral narrative nature necessary necessity Note objects observational organizing origin person Philosophy point of view possible practical Press priori pure question radical Rationality reality reason receptivity reference relation relativism religion religious belief represent representations requirement rules scheme Science seems sense sentences shared social society Sociology space speaker story strategy Studies suggest theoretical theory things thought tion traditional transcendental true truth turn understanding unity University