Transcendental Arguments and Justified Christian Belief

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Transcendental Arguments and Justified Christian Belief offers an extended discussion of the characteristics of transcendental arguments and the philosophical objections that have been leveled against them. Author Ronney Mourad provides a comprehensive review of the recent philosophical literature concerning the definition and possibility of transcendental arguments and defends original positions on these issues.

One function of transcendental arguments is to identify beliefs or propositions implied by any possible act of assertion. Anyone who denies the conclusions of a sound transcendental argument, defined in this way, simultaneously implies the truth of those conclusions by asserting the denial. Therefore, a sound transcendental argument produces conclusions that are distinctively universal and resistant to criticism.

This book also applies transcendental argumentation to epistemological questions in Christian theology. Can Christians justify their religious beliefs Do they even need to try The work of Karl-Otto Apel and Franklin Gamwell serves as the starting point for the development of a transcendentally grounded conception of epistemic justification. The final chapters argue, in conversation with Schubert Ogden and Alvin Plantinga, that the obligations of epistemic justification revealed by transcendental arguments bear several implications for theological method.

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Mourad's book is a clear, concise, and often compelling text that should be read by anyone interested in the use of transcendental arguments (TA) in theology. M. surveys the contemporary literature on TA in the analytic tradition, constructing a helpful typology, elaborating a compelling definition of TA, and responding to standard objections (chaps. 1 and 3). -- J.A. Colombo, University of San Diego * Theological Studies *

Author Bio

Ronney Mourad is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Albion College. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Chicago.