tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post112300315867221125..comments2023-11-05T01:57:23.149-06:00Comments on The Constructive Curmudgeon: The Strange Exile of JesusDouglas Groothuis, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08766692378954258034noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-1123109364475646112005-08-03T16:49:00.000-06:002005-08-03T16:49:00.000-06:00"Recently, philosophers have been exploring the ro..."Recently, philosophers have been exploring the role of moral character in epistemology. Philosophers still rightly ask what makes beliefs qualify as knowledge (truth plus justification or warrant), but increasingly philosophers are also wondering what makes believers good candidates for acquiring knowledge. This is called virtue epistemology; it has a long pedigree going back to Aquinas and Augustine in the Western tradition. Intellectual virtues have classically included patience, tenacity, humility, studiousness, and honest truth seeking. Vices to be avoided are impatience, gullibility, pride, vain curiosity, and intellectual apathy.<BR/>There is a strong emphasis on character in Jesus’ epistemology, which is closely intertwined with his teachings on ethics and the knowledge of God. He not only gives arguments and tells parables, he calls people to intellectual rectitude and sobriety. Jesus’ familiar moral teaching about the danger of judgmentalism contains an epistemological element easily and often overlooked."<BR/><BR/>Dr. Groothuis, thanks for this posting. I especially appreciate how character and self-judgment are pointed out as crucial to good and clear thinking.<BR/><BR/>I wonder why there is such a tendency to look at Christians who are thinkers in reference to theology or philosophy- in reference to life itself, as less spiritual. Or maybe as one from another planet.<BR/><BR/>If I buy into that thought from other believers, then, indeed, I do become less spiritual, because I am no longer free to be who God created.<BR/><BR/>Complaining aside, thanks again especially for how character affects thinking. That is plenty to pray and think on- and is an encouragement to me to keep getting back on the straight and narrow (i.e., the Jesus way)- and learn to know that an important part of staying on that way for me is to accept how God made me- and hopefully see that harmonize with others on the same path.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-1123044417591818532005-08-02T22:46:00.000-06:002005-08-02T22:46:00.000-06:00I think Jesus' "philosophy", if that term doesn't ...I think Jesus' "philosophy", if that term doesn't denigrate Hagia Sophia too much, is at its highest on matters of ontology and transformation. <BR/><BR/>But sometimes I wonder whether philosophers exclude Jesus from their considerations because in his presence it's hard to escape the conclusion that a certain percent of philosophy is vain pretentiousness or dry scholasticism, and even the best falls short of its goal. When Jesus walks into the conversation, "his beauty makes us ashamed of our ugliness", to steal a phrase.Weekend Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10425001168670801073noreply@blogger.com