Beyond Two-Valued Logics

Abstract

For this Jewish philosopher, the turn to Christian philosophy, stimulated by Alvin Plantinga and others, was a welcome event, challenging the hegemonic modern model of rationality. Twenty years later, Peter Ochs remains hopeful about the turn to Christian philosophy, but is also disappointed. He is hopeful because this turn has encouraged turns to other scripturally grounded traditions of rationality as well, including Jewish philosophy. He is also disappointed because the largest sub-society of Christian philosophers has tended to uphold the hegemony of the modern model of logic: practicing and promoting types of two-valued, propositional logic as the standard model of rationality even when applied to subjects toward which Christianity has privileged access. While his appreciation for the turn to Christian philosophy is stronger than his disappointments, he focuses here on the disappointments alone, so that, with limited space, he can address them more fully.