EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY AND THE RATIONALITY OF FAITH.

This paper evaluates the role that evolutionary psychology can play in examining the rationality of faith in the Christian sense. It is argued that because evolutionary psychology enables us to understand human nature, it can help us understand what faith is. I argue that faith is not a universal hu...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Heythrop Journal Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 466 - 479
Autor principal: MURPHY, BENJAMIN
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell May2009
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:This paper evaluates the role that evolutionary psychology can play in examining the rationality of faith in the Christian sense. It is argued that because evolutionary psychology enables us to understand human nature, it can help us understand what faith is. I argue that faith is not a universal human instinct that all religions tap into. Rather, we must understand how the early Christian community used the basic building blocks provided by human nature in a particular way. It is argued that it is a misunderstanding of the nature of faith to assert that faith is intrinsically irrational. However, evolutionary psychology cannot tell us whether or not faith is rational.