Theism And Cognitive Science of Religion: Compatibility or Incompatibility

From the beginning of the 21st century, a new field of cognitive science called "cognitive science of religion" (CSR) has attracted the attention of many scholars. Researchers in this branch seek to explore cognitive mechanisms that produce or reinforce religious beliefs in man. Theories and empirical evidence of CSR have led to many philosophical and theological questions. One of the most important questions is whether these findings show that belief in the existence of God is unjustified. Some philosophers respond positively to this question. They believe that the cognitive mechanisms studied in this area are a threat to the belief in God. Their reasons for this are largely based on the fact that these mechanisms are prone to substantial error, and the insensitivity of these mechanisms in relation to truth. Our aim in this paper is to show that none of the above reasons can show that religious beliefs are unjustified, especially belief in God. Our argument in this regard is based on the fact that natural and supernatural explanations are not mutually exclusive, and the fundamental limitation of cognitive mechanisms.