In foundationalism, all justifiable beliefs fall into two primary categories known as basic beliefs or non-basic beliefs. By definition, basic beliefs do not depend upon others, while non-basic beliefs derive from at least one basic belief. Within the basic beliefs category lies the concept of properly basic beliefs, which refers to the axioms of a belief system (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Also known as the core, foundational, or basic beliefs, a belief is properly basic because it depends on something outside the realm of belief rather than on any other form of belief (Charness et al., 2021). In essence, properly basic beliefs are part of the foundation of an individual’s system of beliefs. These types of beliefs cannot be proved, yet they are not arbitrary. Instead, they are grounded in the idea of emerging from the context of individual experiences.
The existence of God is an example of a controversial view of properly basic belief. It is worth noting that this belief is grounded in the experience of Him as people discern him in conscience and nature. Another example is the reality of the past, which is founded on the past experiences of a person or a group of people in nature. In addition, the existence of an outside world or the presence of minds like that of an individual is a properly basic belief (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Indeed, both beliefs are grounded in the sense of the belief system of a person or group of people through experiences in nature. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to prove these beliefs, but they are not random.
Based on the above definition of properly basic beliefs, it is possible to decrypt the arguments of leading philosophers and scholars in the field. Specifically, philosopher Alvin Platinga is the most associated theologian with this view in his arguments against evidentialism (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). In his writings, Platinga uses John Calvin as the foundation of his view that the belief in God is properly basic. In this case, Calvin’s view is that God created humans and gave them a strong inclination to believe in him, which is affected by sin (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). According to this view, if there was no sin in the world, everybody would believe in God on the same level that people believe in the existence of other people, the past, and the external world (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Indeed, this is a natural condition in all humans, but because of the existence of sin in the world, many people find it absurd or difficult to believe in God.
After reviewing Calvin’s argument, Platinga seeks to make a conclusion about the concept of belief in God as a properly basic belief. In this case, Platinga states that there is a cognitive mechanism, the sense of divinity, which produces the belief about God among people. Therefore, the belief in God is in line with other forms of properly basic beliefs (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). According to Platinga, seeing an object is known perceptually; experiencing pain is introspective; the past is through memory, while the existence of God is through the sense of divinity (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Therefore, the belief in the existence of a deity is justified because it is founded on the sense that an individual or groups of people experience it in the same way they experience all the other aspects of nature.
Nevertheless, the belief in the existence of a deity is a properly basic belief that is not convincing enough. From a personal point of view and in-depth study of evidentialism, it is difficult for theism to legitimately constitute a “properly basic belief.” In this case, one would only find the claim convincing enough only if he or she is firmly committed to believing in it having God’s motivations. There is no theistic belief around the world, which undercuts the claim that the belief that a deity exists is natural (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). If the claim is true, then the world would have a uniform form of belief system in the deity. Instead, this is not the case because there are so many non-believers as well as different forms of belief in the existence of the deity (Charness et al., 2021). People’s ideas about the nature of God or gods vary widely across the world. Indeed, there are thousands of conceptions of the deity. Furthermore, God or gods are always hidden and can rarely be revealed and remain silent and absent throughout the life of a person. Therefore, it appears that it is quite difficult to convince that the belief in God is properly basic.
Secondly, classical theism states that God is not revealed to humans as other things would appear. Rather, atheism states that God is omnipotent, immutable, non-spatial, non-temporal, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. However, all these aspects are indeed contrary to the concept of properly basic beliefs (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Unlike the existence of such objects as plants, rocks, and animals, the existence of God is completely hidden. In fact, there is an infinite more difference between the existence of a supreme being or gods and their nature than the existence of plants, animals, or rocks in the world.
If the existence of objects such as trees and rocks is properly basic, then the existence of God and gods is not because it is not experienced. Indeed, one cannot experience God or gods unless he or she has been given information and taught about God. However, one can experience the existence of food, trees, rocks, and animals without being taught because they happen in nature. In essence, the existence of deities does not happen in nature but within the concept of cultural beliefs that are not necessarily correct or wrong. People sincerely believe something because it appears true to them, comforts them, or their society or group believes in it. A person from this background will dig in and hold on tenaciously, but at some point, they will realize that the belief could be mistaken, wrong, or not necessary the reality (Barak-Corren & Bazerman, 2017). Such people will search for an intellectual resistance to uphold and bolster the belief as a way of keeping away critics. In the process, they realize Christian reformed epistemological views that demonstrate that the belief in God is properly basic or axiomatic. Consequently, no evidence or proof is provided, but the problem is solved. The conclusion is a strong view that the belief in God or deities is properly basic. Nevertheless, this is incorrect because this belief is not in the same way that people experience things in nature. Therefore, it is arguable that it is difficult for theism to legitimately constitute a “properly basic belief.”
This brief analysis does not state that the belief in the existence of God is not a properly basic belief. Nevertheless, this analysis is a scholarly review of the concept against the belief in the existence of God. From this view, it is arguable that the existence of God is an example of a controversial view of properly basic beliefs.
References
Barak-Corren, N., & Bazerman, M. H. (2017). Is saving lives your task or God’s? Religiosity, belief in god, and moral judgment. Judgment & Decision Making, 12(3).
Charness, G., Gneezy, U., & Rasocha, V. (2021). Experimental methods: Eliciting beliefs.Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 189, 234-256. Web.