Kierkegaard\u27s Epistemology of Religion. The Relation between Faith and Reason

Tema ovog rada je propitivanje odnosa vjere i razuma u danskog filozofa Kierkegaarda prema kriterijima analitičke filozofije. Rad se temelji poglavito, iako ne isključivo, na Kierkegaardovu djelu Filozofijsko trunje , koje predstavlja jedno od njegovih najsustavnije napisanih djela. U svjetlu naznačenih kriterija istražujemo način na koji osoba postaje vjernik (tj. dolazi do vjere), u smislu određivanja razloga na kojem počiva odluka za vjeru. Riječ je o vjeri koja se, prema Kierkegaardu, očituje ponajprije kroz strast za egzistiranjem, te označava težnju za konačnim samoostvarenjem. No da bi se vjera u potpunosti realizirala, potrebno je da se čovjek slobodno odluči za Boga. Vjera u tom smislu pretpostavlja/traži voljni pristanak. Istražit ćemo Kierkegaardove stavove o tome je li i zbog čega racionalno vjerovati u Boga. U tom kontekstu propitujemo je li Kierkegaard zastupnik iracionalizma i fideizma, kako se obično misli, te dolazimo do zaključka da on oscilira između toga da vjera nije suprotstavljena razumu, nego ga samo nadilazi, i da se oni međusobno isključuju. Iracionalizam je filozofski pravac koji zastupa tezu da razum ne može spoznati stvarnost do kraja (te da stvarnost kao takva nije utemeljena na razumu). Kierkegaard je zaista zastupao i branio tu tezu. Fideizam je teorija koja kaže da se do metafizičkih i religijskih istina može doći jedino na temelju vjere (a često puta je vjera potpuno suprotstavljena razumu). Činjenica da Kierkegaard vjeru shvaća kao strast sugerira i to da je ona za njega ipak iracionalan stav. Na kraju ćemo Kierkegaardovu epistemologiju religije usporediti s “reformiranom epistemologijom” Alvina Plantinge kako bismo pokazali aktualnost Kierkegaardova pristupa obrađivanoj temi.The aim of this paper is to probe the relationship between faith and reason in the works of the Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard, by applying the criteria of analytic philosophy. The paper is based mainly, if not exclusively, upon Kierkegaard\u27s Philosphical Fragments, one of his most systematically written works. In light of the aforementioned criteria, we examine the manner in which an individual becomes a believer (i.e. how he comes to experience faith) in that we determine the reasons which were the basis for his decision to opt for faith. We are dealing here with faith which, according to Kierkegaard, is manifested primarily through the passion of existence and is marked by an aspiration to the ultimate self-realization. However, in order that faith be attained to the full, man must decide freely for God. In this respect faith presupposes/requires willing consent. We shall look into Kierkegaard\u27s views on whether and why it is rational to believe in God. In this context we examine the question of Kierkegaard\u27s being a proponent of irrationalism and fideism, as is commonly thought, and we come to the conclusion that he oscillates between the stances that faith is not in opposition to reason, but that it only surpasses reason, and that faith and reason mutually exclude each other. Irrationalism is a philosophical outlook which puts forward the thesis that reason cannot grasp reality to the full (and that reality as such is not grounded in reason). Kierkegaard indeed advanced and defended this thesis. Fideism is a theory which claims that metaphysical and religious truths can only be attained when grounded in faith (and faith is often in total opposition to reason). The fact that Kierkegaard understands faith in terms of passion suggests that, in his view, faith is an irrational attitude. Finally we shall compare Kierkegaard\u27s epistemology of religion with the «reformed epistemology» of Alvin Plantinga so as to demonstrate the contemporariness of Kierkegaard\u27s approach to the above topic