Logic of the Heart, The: Augustine, Pascal, and the Rationality of FaithPhilosopher James R. Peters defends the reasonableness of the Christian faith in The Logic of the Heart. He paves a middle road between the Enlightenment's worship of reason and postmodernism's emphasis on freedom and self-rule. He delves into the thought of theologian St. Augustine and philosopher-mathematician Blaise Pascal and engages the skeptic David Hume, who argued against the possibility of miracles. Throughout this process, Peters provides an alternative to postmodern thought as well as the widespread New Atheism. This work is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in philosophy of religion and historical theology. Since Peters writes in nontechnical language, readers interested in the relationship between faith and reason will also benefit from The Logic of the Heart. |
Contents
Acknowledgments | 9 |
Augustine Pascal and Hume for the Postmodern World? | 23 |
Hume Pascal and the Humility of Reason | 96 |
Humes Skepticism and the Wisdom of the Heart | 103 |
Humes Attack on and Misunderstanding of Miracles | 117 |
Humes Psychological Refutation of Theism | 137 |
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Common terms and phrases
acknowledge affirm Alvin Plantinga antirealism antirealist argue argument Aristotle assent Augustine and Pascal Augustine’s Augustinian authority autonomy basic Blaise Pascal Cartesian Christ Christian faith Cleanthes cognitive coherent conception crucial defend Descartes dialectical Dialogues différance divine divine grace Enlightenment Enquiry epistemological essential ethical evidence evidentialist existence experience fact fideist foundationalism function fundamental God’s grace heart human nature human reason Hume’s humility Ibid insists insofar intellectual intuitions justified knowledge limits lives Lockean Lyotard means merely metanarratives metaphysical metaphysical realism miracles modern moral natural beliefs Natural History nonrational objective one’s ourselves outlook paradox Pascal and Hume Pascalian passionate Penelhum person perspective philosophical Plantinga postmodernist principles proper Pyrrhonist radical postmodernism rationality of faith reality reject religion religious belief Richard Rorty Rorty seek self-knowledge sense simply skeptic Socratic teleological Terence Penelhum theism theistic theistic belief thinkers traditional true trust truth ultimate understanding Wendell Berry wisdom