Epistomology

People sometimes turn epistomology into this game of hide and seek, where the truth is out there somewhere, maybe, and we all have to try and find where it's hidden. Fundamentalist Christians claim we have to look in the Bible. Determinists tend to say we should use empirical induction and deductive reasoning. Relativists like to say that we can find it anywhere.

I guess, in some ways I take the stand of all three. I think the Bible is a great source for truth. We find some very clear messages on ethics, particularly. That doesn't mean empirical induction and deductive reasoning don't work. They definitely seem to. Even relativists have a point. After all, if there is a God, why wouldn't He show Himself in more than one place?

Ultimately, where we go to find our "truth" says a lot about what we consider to be most reliable. Fundamentalist Christians say the Bible is the most reliable. Determinists think that they themselves are the most reliable. Relativists don't seem to think that anyone in particular is all that reliable.

This time, I may have to side with the relativists.

Fundamentalist Christians tout the Bible for basically everything. However, looking historically, how many times has a Biblical interpretation of something scientific turned out to be the right one? Flat Earth? Nope. Geocentric universe? Not quite. Couple thousand year old Earth? Not looking good.

Of course, after the fact people did a fine job of using Bible verses to support the new, scientifically proven view. However, if all Biblical scholars reading the Bible got one interpretation out of it, what are the odds they were all just reading it wrong? Even if they were, what does that say about the reliability of our track record of interpreting the Bible on a scientific basis?

Reason doesn't fare much better. Deductive reasoning is only as good as its premises, which are by necessity known by experience or intuition. Both of those things have been pretty shady for me in the past, and I consider myself a fairly reliable guy. Inductive reasoning is far from conclusive. To base an entire worldview on reason is to accept that we cannot know anything for sure. We could be completely wrong about most things.

And Relativists? Well, realistically, it is pretty unreasonable and unbiblical all at the same time. It does have a sort of appeal to it though. It's kind of like standing up from the frantic hide and seek game and setting up a lawn chair on the side lines.