Gods thinks, therefore I am
Descartes in his book Meditation II, says, "We must come to the definite conclusion that this proposition: I am, I exists [Ego sum, ego existo], is necessarily true each time I pronounce it, or that I mentally conceive it." From this Descrates argue that every human being is a thinking substance, and thinking, is a solid prove that one exits. From this Descartes would like to build an unshakable foundation of knowledge and truth (Epistemology). Objective knowledge that could not never be denied anymore. This is the existential certainty whereby doubt must halt. However, his foundation of knowledge has been criticized by Philosopher and Theologian after him. Nietzsche argues to say "I" am exits through thinking then how can he be so sure that ego/I was the one who do the thinking? Was there any other cause apart from "I"? Why should it be singular rather than plural ego? Therefore the statement 'I thinking therefore I am', already assuming that "I" is the one who think and denied a possibility of collective mind who does the thinking, probably. Thinking is might not a process that happening in its own. This foundation still can be doubted and thus, cannot rest assured as the unshakable foundation of knowledge. Nietzsche in his book Beyond Good and Evil concludes that Descartes statement actually was a 'series of daring assertions.' Kierkegaard, a danish Theologian also launched an attack to Descartes dictum as well. I think therefore I am does not point instantaneously to a concrete being but only show there is an activity of thinking, which is abstract, a conceptual posit. There is a thought but we cannot concludes there is a thinking subject.
If thinking cannot be the basis of objective knowledge, can we say objective knowledge is only an illusion? not at all. If there is an objective knowledge, the knowledge must exits beyond the natural realm, so that the knowledge is free from imperfection, limitation, and stand in its own stage. This knowledge is what Christian theist called as God's own knowledge (Himself & World He created). God as known in the traditional Theist by definition is a maximal being, the God who is immutable (cannot change), and also impassible (cannot be effected by anything external), the true objective being which the other derivative realities had brought into existence as Karl Barth said, “God is first and foremost objective to himself” (II/1, 16). If God by definition is the true objective being, logically, His own knowledge is consequently objective by nature. The objective truth is grounded in His very being, and all other truth elsewhere, is either mirroring His truth or detracting from His truth. There is huge difference between God's knowing and human knowing. As human being, we do not have all knowledge. Our knowledge is always partial, and our method is limited but God as the ultimate being who have all knowledge, has a perfect knowledge of everything. Surprisingly, this God known us, as revealed in the Sacred Scripture, His own Sacred Revelation. Jeremiah 1:5 recorded, God says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.". This verse point us to the notion that human being are 'known by God' from the very beginning of life. This mean, we are all absorbed and exits in God's knowledge and thinking, the very thing that makes our existence is also objective. Apart from God, there is no objective knowledge ever be attained. This objectivity is further communicated by God, through the indwardness of the existential reality of faith. Thus, the objective knowledge is not anchored in man but God, not the process of our thinking but God's thinking. In conclusion, It is not I think therefore I am but I'm known by God, therefore I am or using David Peterson's expression, Gods thinks, therefore I am, is the foundation of our objectivity!
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