Uncertain Belief

Is the Bible true? What about the paranormal? Does God exist? Many ask these questions, but there are no agreed answers. At the rational level, uncertainty is inevitable. But is there enough evidence for a rational person to commit themselves to Christianity? This work aims to provide an answer.

Introduces his readers (in a commendably clear, non-technical way) to the logic of uncertainty ... this is an interesting, judicious and perceptive work that will repay careful study by those who seek to understand the claims of theistic faith in a world where increasingly the natural sciences are considered to set the standards for truth-claims.

Autorentext

David J. Bartholomew is Professor of Statistics at London School of Economics.

Klappentext

The certainties which underpinned Christian belief have crumbled in a world where science sets the standard of what is true. A rational case for belief must therefore be constructed out of uncertainties. Probability theory provides the tools for measuring and combining uncertainties and is thus the key to progress. This book examines four much debated topics where the logic of uncertain reference can be brought to bear. These are: miracles, the paranormal, God's existence, and the Bible. Given the great diversity of evidence, it is not surprising that opposite conclusions have been drawn by supposedly rational people. An assessment of the state of the argument from a probabilistic perspective is overdue. In this book Professor Bartholomew examines and refutes some of the more extravagant claims, evaluates the weight of some of the quantitative evidence, and provides an answer to the fundamental question: can a rational person be a Christian?