Noetic Structure

Listened to this one on Monday. Great stuff. This one has a lot of fundamentals in it that can be applied to a range of different situations. It's a good one to read if you're looking for some basic apologetic stuff. (If something doesn't make sense though, it's either me screwing up the explanation or referring to something in a previous lecture).

Definition of Noetic structure:
The sum total of everything a person believes, plus the relationship between those beliefs.
This includes:

• Past beliefs
• Memories 
• Feelings
• Logical connections between memories and beliefs
• Causal and Psychological Relations 

Presuppositions 

Definition: a belief that we hold without proof or support. 

• They build on each other- like Legos. 
• Not all presuppositions are untrue. In fact- some are God given, and crucial to decision making. Ie. The Christian belief in God. Not all Christians have the knowledge to logically back it up, but it's at the core of their beliefs. 
• St. Augustine- "No one can know anything unless he already knows something". 
• We all have presuppositions, and whats more, we need them. 
• They are non-theological foundations to theological thought. 

Cognitive Propositions- either true or false. (Think knowledge type things). 

Some presuppositions are not Cognitive though--Unable to be verbalized. Moods, attitudes or feelings. 

For example: History. An account of the Civil war from the KKK's perspective is going to be completely different from the Union's version.  Holocaust- Germany vs. US. Etc. 

When it comes to intellectual matters, Humans are hard pressed not to be biased- we all are shaped by things, and react to things accordingly. 

Something interesting that Nash mentions: Just because we're aware of this bias doesn't necessarily mean we can just get rid of it. We're talking a lifetime of shaping. We can be aware, and try not to be biased, but ultimately- we need a solid road map to tell us where to go (Scripture). 

Another example: Interpreting text. I could read a Charles Dickens novel and get something completely different out of it than if say, my grandpa were to read it. We grew up in different times, different places, and the way we view things has been changed by that. 

Logical Conclusion as it applies to Apologetics: 

When you're trying to minister to people, and explain this kind of stuff- you're going to run into presuppositions that'll give you grief. Like I said, its hard to change a lifetime of "shaping". Presuppositions make things complicated. Emotions and feelings turn logical arguments into personal ordeals that have to be approached with a LOT of discernment. It's about winning people over for Christ... not beating them to death with your wonderful logical argument. (I'm defiantly at fault here too. Sometimes I want so bad for people to know the God I know, that I get caught up in trying to make them believe. It's not that simple). 

Solution: The Holy Spirit. 

The HS is imperative to evangelism. Without the HS, evangelism doesn't exist. He's the one doing the work in people's hearts. All we do is knock on the door, provide information, and encourage. He's the one transforming lives and really winning those people over. So, if you ever get someone to agree with you because of some great argument you had, don't be quick to pat yourself on the back. It's God doing the work. We're just his servants, carrying out his will. 

Epistemology and Reformed Epistemology 

Nash gave this part a theme song. I thought that was funny. ^.^  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjN5_cJDWHs. Its the theme from "The High and the Mighty"- a John Wayne thing. Enjoy. 

Before I continue: Definition of Epistemology from Google: The theory of knowledge, esp. with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. 

Nash insinuates that unreformed epistemology is congruent with Empiricism, in that it agrees with the belief of "Clean Slate" children (Basically that babies minds are clean slates, and that as they grow and take in information, they make conclusions off of that data). This belief is false. Some human knowledge does not arise from sense experience. Knowledge by sense is only possible because we bring ideas and dispositions to the table. This concept holds true in infants as well. (I would definatly agree. It helps to explain things like morals, love, hope, faith. Stuff like that. Without a God who has intelligently created us to do these things, how in the world  could we come up with them on our own?) 

A priori Truth (pronounced "ay", not "uh")- necessary truth. For example, the Law of Non-contradiction. It precedes experience. 

So, How do we account for Human possession of A priori? 
Virtue of our creation by God. God gave us a priori. We're not blank slates, God gives us a base. (Created in his image. Example: We're created with a God shaped "hole" in our hearts- a space that only God can satisfy. We're also made to absorb information about God). 

Thomas Reed- Scottish Philosopher. (This is completely random and besides the point- I like the fact that he's Scottish. Maybe I'm just tired of Nash mentioning Greek philosophers. Hmm). Reed believes that we all have "belief dispositions". 

Triggering Conditions and Belief Dispositions are the two ways we explain human knowledge. 
Example of this: Nash claps his hands, and asks the audience what caused it. Of course, his audience said that the clap was the cause of the sound. We are hardwired with a fundamental understanding of Causation. Things happening can cause other things to happen. Without that presupposition, making cause and effect assumptions would be impossible. 

Now, most of the time these aren't apparent in infants. They are Implicit. However- they're still there. And, as a baby matures, those presuppositions become explicit. 

Alvin Plantinga, who is a Reformed theologian, believes God has planted an ability to belief God exists. A sixth 'sense' to feel him. (I really love this illustration. It helps account for those people that are "un-reached". God hard wired us to be able to feel his presence. Woah). 

Touchstone propositions: one sentence explanations for these big world views. 
Christianity's touchstone proposition:  Human beings and the Universe are the creation of the God who has revealed himself in scripture. 
One advantage of this proposition is the wording. Because we include the scripture part- everything in scripture is included. God and scripture cannot be separated. 

Jam packed- but good stuff. Tomorrow's lecture will be more on Worldviews.