Dewey, John - A Common Faith Ch 2

04/17/2009

Yale University Press, 1934

This chapter 'Faith and Its Object' seeks to establish the problem with religion's claiming factual knowledge about the world based on supernatural truths or revelations. The early pages show the rift between scientific knowledge about the world and the tenets of theological belief (author wants to show a tension not between 'science' and 'religion' but between 'science' and 'theology' pg31). Author points out that each time science seems to provide an alternate, natural explanation for a particular article of theology, liberal theologians surrender that particular issue and simultaneously argue that it wasn't a crucial part of the theology (pg32). The problem is not this-or-that belief but the entire outlook of method and justification for non-scientific objective belief systems. (pg32-3)

One solution was to partition two realms: one of 'nature' and one of 'grace', or one for scientific experience and another for religious. (pg34) But remember that so-called mystical experience, according to author, is frequently interpreted through the lens of cultural practices and theology that one already has available (pg35-38). The distinction between two kinds of experience is just the old metaphysical distinction between two worlds, but remade into modern cultural sensibilities. (pg38) Author also defends science from those who misunderstand it, specifically that science is committed to a set of naturalistic doctrines. Instead, science is a method of acquiring knowledge about the world-- so far the best method (p38-9).

The next part of the discussion has to do with symbols-- that religious matters involve beliefs that are symbolic. Author argues that symbols can be interpreted in two ways-- as symbolic of another objective item (that we can't attain for some reason or other) or as symbolic of a truly ideal item. If theological beliefs are symbolic in the first sense, then they are intellectually dubious and aren't truly 'ideal'. But if they are in the second sense, then there is no reason to suppose the objective aspect of the symbolized items/people/events. (pg40-2) The suggestion then becomes that 'God' be the 'unification of ideal values that is essentially imaginative in origin'(pg43). Author further argues that trying to find the existence of the supernatural will distract humans and make them think that their betterment will come from an exterior source rather than from themselves (pg45-7).

The last part of the paper deals with arguing that ideals seated in the imagination are not 'imaginary stuff' but real and physical since they motivate us to act in particular ways in the world (pg49-51). The value of mystical experiences is to further one's commitment to the ideals they live by (pg52). Author discusses parallels that he sees between 'aggressive' atheism and traditional supernaturalism (e.g. Christianity) (pg52-3) in that they both view humans as separate from the natural world-- both are mistaken.