IS BELIEF IN GOD

PROPERLY BASIC?
Group-3
Mishal Asjed Muhammad Ali Azeem Shah rukh Khan
Shahzad Ahmad
Syed Hamza Hussain Bukhari
 INTRODUCTION:

 Evidentialist stance and theistic belief:

 Belief in God is dependent on evidence.
 Evidentialist objection is rooted in classical foundationalism.
 One’s belief may be based on others.
 But is it necessary to hold a belief based on evidence?
 THE AUTHOR’S VIEW:

 Not all beliefs are based on other beliefs or propositions.

 These are called properly basic beliefs.
 Belief in God is also properly basic.
 Argument 1:
1. A belief, if groundless is not properly basic.
2. A belief based on experiences, observations and other circumstances is not
groundless.
3. Belief in God is based on experiences, observations and other circumstances:
God’s hand in the world around us.
4. Belief in God is not groundless.
 Diagram:

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 Argument 2: (Sub argument)
5. Classical foundationalists believe that a belief is only basic if it is self-evident
and incorrigible.
6. The conditions in the criteria laid by the classical foundationalists does not
follow from self-evident premises.
7. The criteria itself is not self-evident.
8. So, reformed epistemologists reject the criteria of proper basicality given by
the classical foundationalists.
 Diagram:

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 Argument 2 Continued:
8. Reformed epistemologists reject the criteria of proper basicality given by the
classical foundationalists.
9. Reformed epistemologists do not have a substitute criteria for proper basicality.
10. Any belief can be taken as properly basic by the reformed epistemologists as
they reject the classical foundationalist’s criteria and fail to provide a substitute.
11. To make sensible judgements about proper basicality, having a criterion is not
necessary.
12. A belief should not be accepted as properly basic if it is not rational.
13. Belief in the great pumpkin is irrational.
14. There is a natural tendency to accept beliefs about God.
15. Belief in God is rational.
16. Only some beliefs are properly basic.
 Diagram:
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12 14

13 15

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 Main argument:
4. Belief in God is not groundless.
16. Only some beliefs are properly basic.
17. Belief in God is properly basic.
 Diagram:

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 PATTERNS OF REASONING AND THE ARGUMENT’S STRENGTH

 Inductive reasoning patterns used.

 Arguments from analogy
 Arguments from authority
 Use of credible and renowned sources: John Calvin and Professor Brand
Blanshard
 Analogies to prove proposition as self-evident.
THANK YOU