Michael Polanyi: His Theory of Personal Knowledge and Some Theological Implication

Abstract

The question behind the thesis is whether Michael Polanyi's cognitional theory helps in formulating the relationship between between human knowing and religious faith. The main outline of his theory, as this writer understands it, is presented relying heavily upon Personal Knowledge but using his other publications to elaborate the descriptive foundation of his theory. The adequacy of Polanyi's description in covering the whole structure of knowing is questioned. An evaluation is made of the theory as an explanation of the knowing process described; the basic commitments which group the theory and Polanyi's affirmation of the continuity in all realms of knowledge are examined. A link is thus established with which to open the question from which the thesis began.