A rigorous analysis of the paradoxes of apophatic theology, revealing its deep logical structure and challenging inconsistencies.
In this book, Piotr Urbanczyk delves into the theory known as negative, or apophatic, theology where God is completely ineffable and unknowable. This doctrine, however, presents a paradox: if we declare that God is ineffable or unknowable, we are, in fact, asserting something about Him.
Investigating three interpretations of apophatic doctrine and highlighting the logical aspects accompanying each, Urbanczyk's interpretation of negative theology emphasizes the transcendence of God in the context of language. In the first part of the book, he reveals that the paradox lying underneath this theory has a self-referential structure characteristic of well-known semantic paradoxes. Another interpretation shifts from language to knowledge, claiming that God is completely unknowable. While "theological skepticism" seems similar to the ineffability view, Urbanczyk argues they are distinct. Using epistemic modal logic, he demonstrates that theological skepticism reflects classic epistemic paradoxes like Moore's problem, the Church-Fitch paradox, and the knower's paradox.
By applying formal logic to the analysis of this doctrine, Urbanczy's book shows how the reconstruction of negative theology can be incredibly beneficial.
In this book, Piotr Urbanczyk delves into the theory known as negative, or apophatic, theology where God is completely ineffable and unknowable. This doctrine, however, presents a paradox: if we declare that God is ineffable or unknowable, we are, in fact, asserting something about Him.
Investigating three interpretations of apophatic doctrine and highlighting the logical aspects accompanying each, Urbanczyk's interpretation of negative theology emphasizes the transcendence of God in the context of language. In the first part of the book, he reveals that the paradox lying underneath this theory has a self-referential structure characteristic of well-known semantic paradoxes. Another interpretation shifts from language to knowledge, claiming that God is completely unknowable. While "theological skepticism" seems similar to the ineffability view, Urbanczyk argues they are distinct. Using epistemic modal logic, he demonstrates that theological skepticism reflects classic epistemic paradoxes like Moore's problem, the Church-Fitch paradox, and the knower's paradox.
By applying formal logic to the analysis of this doctrine, Urbanczy's book shows how the reconstruction of negative theology can be incredibly beneficial.
Płać wygodnie kartą, Klarną, Apple Pay lub Google Pay. Nie jesteś zadowolony? Zawsze masz 14-dniową gwarancję zwrotu pieniędzy. Więcej przeczytasz w naszych warunkach. Masz pytania? Napisz do nas na hello@memmo.org.
Memmo ułatwia naukę – gdziekolwiek jesteś na świecie. U nas znajdziesz podręczniki i sprytne narzędzia do nauki w jednym miejscu: streszczenia, quizy, podcasty i fiszki. A do tego Ted, Twój kumpel do nauki, który odpowie na wszystko, co Cię nurtuje. Ponad 50 000 studentów już tu się uczy – stworzone, byś uczył się szybciej i mniej stresował.