Internal realism and the problem of religious diversity

Harrison, V.S. (2006) Internal realism and the problem of religious diversity. Philosophia, 34(3), pp. 287-301.

Abstract

This article applies Hilary Putnam’s theory of internal realism to the issue of religious plurality. The result of this application—“internalist pluralism”—constitutes a paradigm shift within the Philosophy of Religion. Moreover, internalist pluralism succeeds in avoiding the major difficulties faced by John Hick’s famous theory of religious pluralism, which views God, or “the Real”, as the noumenon lying behind diverse religious phenomena. In side-stepping the difficulties besetting Hick’s revolutionary Kantian approach, without succumbing to William Alston’s critique of conceptual-scheme dependence, internalist pluralism provides a solution to significant theoretical problems, while doing so in a manner that is respectful of cultural diversity and religious sensitivities.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Philosophy of religion - Religious pluralism - Internal realism - Internalist pluralism - Hickean pluralism - William P. Alston - Hilary Putnam - Conceptual schemes - Cultural diversity
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Harrison, Dr Victoria
• Authors: Harrison, V.S.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: Philosophia
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 0048-3893
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 Springer
• First Published: First published in Philosophia 34(3):287-301
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher