THE MEANING OF INTUITION IN CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION

Abstract

Tho religious believer will often state that he knows intuitively that God exists. His claims are frequently supported, though in a ouch more sophisticated way, by a considerable number of philosophers and theologians, who maintain that the intellect knows intuitively the existence of God. Such thinkers as Augustine, Bonaventure, and Pascal are among those who champion such an approach. In opposition to them, there are thinkers who maintain that tho existence of God is established to the satisfaction of the intellect by argument and inferential demon strations. Thinkers such as Aristotle, Aquinas, and Suarez are among tho prominent ones in this latter category. Throughout the history of Vostem philosophy these two approaches to God have gained favour or disapproval, and frequently tho success of tho one has led to the depreciation of the other