Abstract
Faith and reason are two epistemological routes leading us to obtain
knowledge: people receive knowledge through theology as well as
from scientific inquiry. However, these routes differ in the
methodologies they employ, as well as in the type of questions that
they ask. The purpose of this dissertation is to demonstrate that both
faith and reason are epistemological routes, and that the relationship
between faith and reason is particularly illustrated in reason’s selftranscendence.
Indeed, the sciences (as particular examples of
reason) necessarily lead us into that which is beyond the realm of the
investigation of the sciences (i.e. the meta-physical), for the moment
we attempt to interpret our scientific findings we transcend science
itself; science cannot answer the deep questions relating to why
things are as they are although it brings us to the point of being able
to ask these questions. Philosophy and theology, however, as
metaphysical explanations provide a potential route to answering
these important questions. The transcendence of science into the
metaphysical will be demonstrated using the examples of cosmology,
evolutionary theory, and quantum physics. Ultimately, we are led from
ratio, beyond ratio, into the realm of fides, and in this epistemological
unity, we that faith compliments reason in together providing a fuller
picture of reality.
© University of Pretoria
|
indicates that a file or directory is accessible from the campus network only.