A Comparative Study of "Rationality of Religious Belief" as Viewed by Plantinga and Allameh Tabataba'i

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Phd Religious studies at University of religions and Denominations

2 Phd student at University of religions and Denominations

10.22081/pwq.2019.66596

Abstract

The problem of "rationality of religious belief" has attracted the attention of religious scholars, especially the philosophers of religion. The historical starting-point of this question, especially "rationality of belief in God", lies in the West. Appearance of challenges against the fundamental concepts of religion, along with the failure of some philosophical concepts, made the ground ready for disputations about rational validity of religious beliefs. may a religious belief, particularly belief in God, be essentially reasonable, or the belief should be explained on the basis of another one? In response to this question, many efforts have been made by Western philosophers like Plantinga who religion has been one of their main concerns in philosophy and by Muslim philosophers like Allameh Tabataba'i. In the paper, it has been intended to study subject comparatively and present the reasons and the type of rationality of the two philosophers. In this paper, the subject has been studied with a comparison made between Allameh and Plantinga with a descriptive and analytical method. First part of the paper has focused on Plantinga`s responses to objections and critiques and the second to Allameh and his considerations in the field. And finally a comparison has been maded between them as the conclusion

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