I’m reading an essay on epistemology and it got me thinking
An axiom is a truth that proves itself in the attempt to deny it. "Man acts" is an axiom that is important Austrian economics.
If you try to deny that "man acts", you will be taking an action. Hence, it is an axiom.
Epistemologically, "man acts" is also a synthetic A priori.
Statements can either be synthetic or analytic. Analytic claims depends on nothing more that definitions I.e. tautology. “All bachelors are unmarried men” is an analytic claim. A synthetic truth is one that reveals something beyond what may be inferred from the individual definitions of the words.
Epistemologically speaking as well, claims can be divided into A priori and A posteriori. A priori knowledge is attained by reasoning and reflecting on what is necessarily true. It can be reached prior to any particular empirical evidence. A posteriori knowledge requires empirical evidence before it can be reached; it cannot be reached by logic alone.
The synthetic A priori, “man acts” is the pillar on which free market economics is built on. It has a lot of implication.
I was wondering if there are any theological synthetic A priori truths.
I propose that the claim “God is real.” is axiomatic as well as a synthetic A priori.
Hypothetically, let’s say there is a God. Let’s say this hypothetical God has the attributes of Brahman; omnipresent, infinite consciousness. This Brahman in this hypothetical world sustains all life and consciousness. Without it, there would be no universe or conscious beings.
Now that we are in this world, the claim “God is real.” is axiomatic. For in the act of denying God’s existence, you are relying on Brahman to enable you to make that conscious denial. The air that you breathe is sustained by Brahman. Every word of your denial would be fully dependent on God itself, making it axiomatic.
Would the claim “God is real.” be a synthetic A priori in this hypothetical world? It isn’t analytic, that’s for sure. And you wouldn’t require empirical evidence for it, or rather there would be none readily apparent? I’m not sure.
I believe we live in this hypothetical world. Therefore, though I have no evidence, I hypothesize that the claim “God is real.” is axiomatic. Furthermore, I hypothesize that it is also a synthetic A priori.
Edit: it can be analytic, depending on the definition of God that is used. I dunno
Edit: I say synthetic because you don't require any particular experience for it to be logically sound that God is real. The fact that you are having experience itself is self proving, making it synthetic. I think