The effect of sin on scientific knowledge : a case study of Stephen Moroney’s approach from a Critical Rationalist point of view

Yazdani, Homa; Paya, Ali; Nabavi, Lotfollah

doi:10.30465/ps.2020.5692

The effect of sin on scientific knowledge : a case study of Stephen Moroney’s approach from a Critical Rationalist point of view

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Homa Yazdani ¹

Ali Paya ²

Lotfollah Nabavi ³

¹ phd student/Tarbiat Modares University

² Department of Philosophy, The Islamic College (affiliated with Middlesex University), London, UK National Research Institute for Science Policy, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Philosophy and Logic, Faculty of humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30465/ps.2020.5692

Abstract

In this study, we shall assess the claim concerning the negative effect of sin and positive effect of grace on proper function of reason and cognitive faculties through the lens of the Calvinist tradition and the Reformed Epistemology. Although the noetic effect of sin has already been discussed probably by tracing the role of the non-epistemic factors in acquiring knowledge in general, approaching the issue by focusing on ‘scientific knowledge’ is novel and, to the best of my knowledge, has not been attempted before. This study will be developed by means of an evaluation of Stephen Moroney’s project. Through a critical survey of the views of a number of prominent Christian theologian, he tries to develop a model for the cognitive influence of sin. In our review of his work from the canons of Critical Rationalism, we shall try to show that Moroney's conclusions are inconsistent with his explanation of the effect of sin on the natural sciences. Our main arguments are as follows: what Moroney describes as scientific knowledge from a Christian point of view is more a technological awareness rather than scientific knowledge proper. Furthermore, it is the scientist who is affected by sin and not his scientific claim.

Keywords

Faith

Sin

Grace

Reason

Noetic effect

Scientific knowledge

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