Skepticism and Rationality: Ghazali, Hume, and Kant
Bagheri Noaparast, Khosrow & Bagheri Noaparast, Mohammad Zoheir (2013) Skepticism and Rationality: Ghazali, Hume, and Kant. Journal of Religious Thought, Vol. 13, no.2, pp 3-18.
16 Pages Posted: 24 Mar 2014
Date Written: August 24, 2013
Abstract
Considering three philosophers – Ghazali , Hume, and Kant – we perceive that they were at grips with skepticism and each had a different attitude towards it. While Hume remains in a skeptical sphere, Ghazali and Kant offer solutions for skepticism, although their solutions differ largely. Criticizing Aristotle’s view on essential necessity, Ghazali expands Avicenna’s emphasis on experimentation and, in effect, negates the necessary relation between cause and effect. Ghazali preceded Hume in this regard for some 6 centuries and put forward Hume’s main idea. In order to overcome skepticism, Kant appealed to rationality and it’s a priori backgrounds, while Ghazali put forward God’s will and put the emphasis on the inner direct experience. It will be argued that God’s deeds, rationality and faith should be compatible in principle.
Keywords: Ghazali, Kant, Hume, skepticism, reason and faith, cause and effect
JEL Classification: Z00
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation