Systematization and critical notes on Hick's argument for religious pluralism

Abstract

In An Interpretation of Religion, John Hick makes a long argument in favor of religious pluralism, defined as the claim that various religions are valid perceptions of transcendent reality. This argument goes through claims such as the religious ambiguity of the Universe, the reliability of religious experience and the Kantian distinction between number and phenomenon. However, since the philosopher doesn't explain all the steps of his argument in detail, analyzing it can be difficult. For this reason, this paper aims to systematize the premises of Hick's argument in favour of religious pluralism, clarifying each step of the argument and demonstrating its logical chain. After this, we intend to close the text with some critical notes against Hick's argument. Although these points are not intended to provide a complete and definitive response to Hick's reasoning, it is hoped that they can suggest the development of criticism that engages with the systematization offered here.