There is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and theistic religion, but superficial concord and deep conflict between science and naturalism
Alvin PlantingaRead
Suppose we concede that if I had been born of Muslim parents in Morocco rather than Christian parents in Michigan, my beliefs would be quite different. [But] the same goes for the pluralist...If the pluralist had been born in [Morocco] he probably wouldn't be a pluralist. Does it follow that...his pluralist beliefs are produced in him by an unreliable belief-producing process?
Interpretation
Beliefs are largely shaped by cultural and social contexts, which raises questions about their reliability.
In this quote, Alvin Plantinga explores the idea that our beliefs are heavily influenced by our upbringing and environment. He suggests that if a pluralist had been born in a different cultural context, their beliefs would not necessarily reflect their current values, leading to an inquiry about the origins and credibility of those beliefs. This highlights the significant role that context plays in shaping individual perspectives.
In practice
During a lecture on the nature of belief and culture.
There is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and theistic religion, but superficial concord and deep conflict between science and naturalism
The energy of the mind is the essence of life.
I really enjoy forgetting. When I first come to a place, I notice all the little details. I notice the way the sky looks. The color of white paper. The way people walk. Doorknobs. Everything. Then I get used to the place and I don't notice those things anymore. So only by forgetting can I see the place again as it really is.
The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It's over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam.
What else can matter to us, other than how our lives feel from the inside?
Oh, am I a feminist? I usually say that I was an accidental feminist. Really, I was just being me.
Theories that go counter to the facts of human nature are foredoomed.
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