What is instrumentalism in philosophy?
Instrumentalism is the philosophical claim that the importance of beliefs is their usefulness—their role as instruments—and not in whether the subject of the belief literally exists. Under this concept, the main value of any action or perspective is its practical effects, not any transcendent or universal ideal. Various forms of instrumentalism imply that “truth” applies…
How has Greek philosophy influenced Christianity?
Philosophy literally means “a love of wisdom.” In modern use, the term refers to any process of organizing thoughts and ideas within some established framework. “Greek philosophy” is actually a subset of the world’s varied systems of discourse. Still, it would be fair to say that, when Western culture thinks of “philosophy,” what’s in mind…
Why are people irrational?
People have intellect and are rational beings, yet they very often behave in irrational ways. Psychology and social science attempt to give many explanations for human irrationality. These attempts are useful but frequently don’t have a biblical basis. The Bible does address the question of irrationality. According to Scripture, people turn away from reason because…
What is the liar’s paradox?
“The liar’s paradox” refers to a statement that inescapably leads to a logical contradiction—it appears to be both true and false at the same time. The simplest example would be the declaration “this statement is false.” There have been many versions of the liar’s paradox and many attempts to solve it. This idea was even…
What is perennialism?
The term perennialism is sometimes applied to education or to philosophy of religion. The two uses are related but not identical. In both contexts, perennialism refers to something enduring and universal. In education, this means focusing on broad, collectively valued principles and major themes, rather than specific facts or narrow interests. In spirituality, it suggests…
What is hedonism? What is a hedonist?
Hedonism is a philosophy of life that supports pursuing all kinds of pleasure. Hedonists pursue a lifestyle of self-indulgence. The term hedonism comes from the ancient Greek word for “pleasure.” Our concept of the philosophy of hedonism largely stems from the ancient Greeks. Aristippus of Cyrene, a student of Socrates, is believed to be the…
How should a Christian view rationalism vs. empiricism?
Rationalism vs. empiricism is a philosophical debate about the way human beings gain knowledge. There is a wide array of theses associated with rationalism and empiricism. Empiricists look to the world outside themselves as the source of knowledge, while rationalists look to the world within themselves as the source of knowledge. The empiricist holds that…
What impact did Friedrich Nietzsche have on the Christian faith?
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844—1900) was born in Rochen, Prussia, to a Lutheran pastor who ultimately died of a disease of the brain. The women in Nietzsche’s life (mother, sister, two aunts, and grandmother) strongly dominated his early life. Although given a strong religious upbringing, Nietzsche rejected Christianity initially in college and more strongly while serving in…
What is essentialism in philosophy?
Philosophical essentialism is the idea that the nature of things is invariable and constant. Essentialism posits that one must be able to describe an entity according to that which is required, or essential, to its nature and existence. The bird is perhaps a helpful example. One may ask what is essential to being a bird.…