Hick’s Pluralism: Challenge between Realism and Antirealism

Subject Areas : Philosophy

ثریا سلاحوَرزی ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2007-12-29 Accepted : 2008-03-12 Published : 2007-09-23

Keywords: religious pluralism, Hick, truth-coherentism, noumenon, phenomenon, Pragmatism,

Abstract :

According to pluralism, in all great religious traditions, the unique finaltruth is experienced and comprehended in different forms. Here, amongthree kinds of pluralism, Hick’s pluralism is examined. His pluralism ismainly based on two principles: (1) Kant’s epistemological model; (2)truth-coherentism.According to Kant’s model, the nature of Haq [= the Truth] in Himself, isbeyond the limits of man-made concepts. Haq is called “inexpressible” inWestern religious language, “without-form” in Eastern religious language,and “noumenal truth” in Kantian language, being experienced by humanbeings in the form of a chain of divine phenomena.Some objections are proposed to this view, seemingly similar to the viewsof proponents of Ta’til (Gnosticists) in Islamic tradition. Truth has newconnotation in Hick’s view, which is different from that of Islamicphilosophers such as ‘Allāmeheh Tabātābei andd Motahhari.Hick’s view, finally, approaches to pragmatist view, since he refers to theeffectiveness of religions as an evidence for the Absolute Being.Therefore, we can see a turn in his views from coherentism towardspragmatism.