On Reading God's Great Poem
On Reading God's Great Poem
An exploration of Peirce's defence of religious belief and of how this is compatible with his pragmatist principle and with his claim that all responsible inquiry should use the method of science. There is a discussion of his ‘common‐sensist’ insistence that we should not trust theoretical reflection in connection with ‘vital question’ and his assumption that instinctive beliefs are innocent until proved guilty. Much of the chapter is devoted to an analysis of his ‘neglected argument’ for the reality of God, which consists in recognizing that religious belief is instinctive and its instinctive character contributes to its authority. There is also a discussion of Peirce's account of sentiments and emotions and his claim that the reality of God is comprehended in ‘feeling’.
Keywords: common‐sensism, feeling, God, instinct, neglected argument, religion, religious belief, science, sentiment, vital questions
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