Swinburne's Principles of Credulity and Testimony
Epistemological principles developed by Richard Swinburne to justify belief in others' religious experiences. The Principle of Credulity: absent contrary evidence, we should trust our own and others' apparent perceptions. The Principle of Testimony: we should believe reports of others' experiences unless we have reason to doubt them. Applied cumulatively, billions of reported religious experiences provide strong evidence for God.
Real World
When thousands of pilgrims at Lourdes report experiencing healing or the presence of the divine, Swinburne argues we should accept these testimonies as credible evidence, just as a court accepts eyewitness accounts without demanding scientific proof.
Exam Focus
When 'assess' questions appear, apply both principles cumulatively and then counter with Hume's argument about the unreliability of testimony for miracles.
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