1.1 Examine how Process Theodicy influences responses to the problem of evil and suffering. Flashcards
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1.1 Examine how Process Theodicy influences responses to the problem of evil and suffering.
Swinburne’s principle of credulity claims that with normal sense experiences, if a reliable witness claims that x is present, then probably x is present. Equally, then, if the same witness has a religious experience and claims that God is present, then probably God is present. However, going from verifying claims about everyday experiences of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight to verifying claims about a God who is beyond sense experience may be seen as too great a leap. Swinburne’s principle of testimony is a counterpart to his principle of credulity. He claims that in the absence of special considerations, such as the testimony of someone who lies habitually, the testimony of those who report religious experiences is probably reliable. However, this does not verify religious experiences as being experiences of God. Belief that someone’s testimony is true does not show that it is true. Swinburne uses a cumulative argument. He claims that where the testimony of a great number of people agrees that religious experiences are experiences of a really-existing God, then this weight of testimony verifies religious experiences. However, the cumulative argument does not work: history records many examples of arguments that were held by most people to be true but turned out later to be false.
