{"title":"From Observation to Theory","authors":"A. McGrath","doi":"10.1093/OSO/9780198813101.003.0007","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"How do we move from observing the world to developing more complex and sophisticated ways of representing and understanding it? This chapter examines the intellectual journey from observing our world to representing it in theory, focussing on three distinct processes that are widely believed to be important in this process—deduction, induction, and abduction. Each of these rational strategies is used in theological or philosophical arguments relating to the existence of God. In each case, careful consideration is given to its application both in the natural sciences and in Christian theology. Particular attention is given to the American philosopher Charles S. Peirce’s use of abduction, and its potential significance for Christian theology.","PeriodicalId":129700,"journal":{"name":"The Territories of Human Reason","volume":"59 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2018-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Territories of Human Reason","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/OSO/9780198813101.003.0007","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
How do we move from observing the world to developing more complex and sophisticated ways of representing and understanding it? This chapter examines the intellectual journey from observing our world to representing it in theory, focussing on three distinct processes that are widely believed to be important in this process—deduction, induction, and abduction. Each of these rational strategies is used in theological or philosophical arguments relating to the existence of God. In each case, careful consideration is given to its application both in the natural sciences and in Christian theology. Particular attention is given to the American philosopher Charles S. Peirce’s use of abduction, and its potential significance for Christian theology.