Posted: Jun 18, 2010 8:10 am
Will S wrote:But, as far as I can see (and please correct me if I'm wrong) not one of you is a theist or a religious sympathiser. Which leaves me preaching to the converted - not that I can do anything about it.
I was going to help you and play Devil's advocate, but... I'm struggling!
How about this...
He may tell us to rely on a sacred book, or on the pronouncements of a religious authority (himself, perhaps!), but, as soon as we ask why this particular sacred book, or this particular religious authority, if he responds at all, he has to use … (wait for it!) ... reason!
...
The unavoidable conclusion is that, when we are trying to find out the truth about things, reason trumps everything, and nothing can trump reason.
So? Your proposed argument from the theists' point of view about reason was not that it doesn't work at all, just that it "has its limits". It doesn't follow that "reason trumps everything" if you've only used the limited ability of reason to reason that reason itself is limited, or to reason the best method of overcoming its limitations.
I'm neither well read on this topic, nor a philosopher, so please be gentle.
