Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this (very loosely connected) response to one interpretation of Jordan Peterson's views about religion, I examine the reasons for and against religious fictionalism, the proposal that religious discourse, far from being about an objective reality 'out there,' is actually just an exercise in fiction - but that doesn't mean we should abandon religion, because partaking in the fiction yields great benefits for our lives. So says fictionalism, anyway. I ultimately reject this view in favor of religious realism. And make some jokes along the way.
Quotation from Jordan Peterson in title is taken from "Douglas Murray and Jonathan Pageau", 33:24: youtube.com/watch?v=4Modzh94MVw&t=0s
REFERENCED YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Alex O'Connor, "Deconstructing Jordan Peterson on Religion": youtube.com/watch?v=5-yQVlHo4JA&t=83s
Alex O'Connor and Jordan Peterson, "Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife": youtube.com/watch?v=T0KgLWQn5Ts&t=1307s
REFERENCED SCHOLARSHIP
Robin le Poidevin's book, Religious Fictionalism: amazon.co.uk/Religious-Fictionalism-Elements-Philosophy-Religion/dp/1108457479/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TOZLCTLYGSQG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uf4Hyh9Z3fCK5qf8V4w8Qr5Bp2tW2WYJgXOLmQsPlDUDwqlqqlW8lpiahJ2K0yb4-WZlDOaYfU8F56IyMCqHqwbnYJtmxWIxecaf8IJu06syHEyFg7wd0HYakjX9rxY0Q1Y-0ONp0ubHiaJYUbgpxiQBM_nRoXenQCyGzW4KKxPXcQs5PMYWJ7a0dIGXAoyJ6LnE6IHapBo3pwTQANmHdu4OVRF_ClH9NFZQElwNRDA.5LXz7IGlD7xf-348sIS2aBCfsRK1XprjEkATXONkuQQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=religious+fictionalism&qid=1722979648&sprefix=religious+fictionalism%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1
Eshleman, "Can an atheist believe in God?": philpapers.org/rec/ESHCAA
Cordry, "A critique of religious fictionalism": jstor.org/stable/25676923
Plantinga, "Is belief in God properly basic?": jstor.org/stable/2215239
In this (very loosely connected) response to one interpretation of Jordan Peterson's views about religion, I examine the reasons for and against religious fictionalism, the proposal that religious discourse, far from being about an objective reality 'out there,' is actually just an exercise in fiction - but that doesn't mean we should abandon religion, because partaking in the fiction yields great benefits for our lives. So says fictionalism, anyway. I ultimately reject this view in favor of religious realism. And make some jokes along the way.
Quotation from Jordan Peterson in title is taken from "Douglas Murray and Jonathan Pageau", 33:24: youtube.com/watch?v=4Modzh94MVw&t=0s
REFERENCED YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Alex O'Connor, "Deconstructing Jordan Peterson on Religion": youtube.com/watch?v=5-yQVlHo4JA&t=83s
Alex O'Connor and Jordan Peterson, "Navigating Belief, Skepticism, and the Afterlife": youtube.com/watch?v=T0KgLWQn5Ts&t=1307s
REFERENCED SCHOLARSHIP
Robin le Poidevin's book, Religious Fictionalism: amazon.co.uk/Religious-Fictionalism-Elements-Philosophy-Religion/dp/1108457479/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TOZLCTLYGSQG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uf4Hyh9Z3fCK5qf8V4w8Qr5Bp2tW2WYJgXOLmQsPlDUDwqlqqlW8lpiahJ2K0yb4-WZlDOaYfU8F56IyMCqHqwbnYJtmxWIxecaf8IJu06syHEyFg7wd0HYakjX9rxY0Q1Y-0ONp0ubHiaJYUbgpxiQBM_nRoXenQCyGzW4KKxPXcQs5PMYWJ7a0dIGXAoyJ6LnE6IHapBo3pwTQANmHdu4OVRF_ClH9NFZQElwNRDA.5LXz7IGlD7xf-348sIS2aBCfsRK1XprjEkATXONkuQQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=religious+fictionalism&qid=1722979648&sprefix=religious+fictionalism%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1
Eshleman, "Can an atheist believe in God?": philpapers.org/rec/ESHCAA
Cordry, "A critique of religious fictionalism": jstor.org/stable/25676923
Plantinga, "Is belief in God properly basic?": jstor.org/stable/2215239
