Pluralizm religijny w ujęciu Williama Jamesa i jego współczesna recepcja

Abstract

„Pluralism” is a broad term applicable to any doctrine witch maintains that there are many ways of being of thing (ontological pluralism). Epistemological pluralism maintains that people are able to construct through multiple cognitive concepts using diverse models (standards of measurement) and systems of thought (knowledge). Religious pluralism has two aspects, descriptive and normative. The former acknowledges that there are many religious systems, many types of religious experience and many ways of understanding the so-called ‘religious tradition’ The latter is a claim that religious diversity is a norm recognition thesis about many religions is norm, which in turn means that there are many ways of knowing of God, each characterized by partial truth, goodness and beauty. William James is an 20thcentury proponent of pluralism. He asserts that right to believe precedes the need for proof-evidence ahead of the evidence. We are free agents and we are able to reach objective values by different means. James maintains that the salvation of the world requires both the work of a human being and the assistance of God. He affirms free because he believes that only actions chosen from among equally possible alternatives have moral quality. James brings together psychological and philosophical inquiry. He understands psychology to be a theory of relationships between mental events and psychological changes and conceives of emotions as bodily impressions-changes caused by perception. With the help of insights from such disciplines as psychology, philosophy of religion and the natural sciences we arrive a picture of a human being and the multiple variations of his-her experience. John H. Hick and Ch. Taylor are continue the James’ line of thought within philosophy of religion. Hick is known for his “pluralistic hypothesis” which claims that each of the major religious traditions offers a path to salvation-liberation that involves a transition-transformation from self-centrednedss to focusing on ultimate reality. God, as the ultimate, can be differently conceived, experienced and responded to from within different traditions. Ch. Taylor looks for sources of contemporary individualism. His explores the subtler language of poetry and religion in an attempt to determine the ways in which individualism and expressivism are embedded in cultural, social and religious contexts.