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''Sensus divinitatis'' ("sense of divinity"), also referred to as ''sensus deitatis'' ("sense of deity") or ''semen religionis'' ("seed of religion"), is a term first used by French Protestant reformer John Calvin to describe a hypothetical human sense. Instead of knowledge of the environment (as with, for example, smell or sight), the ''sensus divinitatis'' is alleged to give humans a knowledge of God. In Calvin's view, there is no reasonable non-belief. Neo-Calvinists who adhere to the presuppositionalist school of Christian apologetics sometimes appeal to a ''sensus divinitatis'' to argue that there are no genuine atheists. Analytic philosopher Alvin Plantinga of the University of Notre Dame posits a modified form of the ''sensus divinitatis'' whereby all have the sense, only it does not work properly in some humans, due to sin's noetic effects. (see Reformed epistemology) Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century American Calvinist preacher and theologian, claimed that while every human being has been granted the capacity to know God, successful use of these capacities requires an attitude of "true benevolence." ==Criticism== Philosopher Evan Fales presents three arguments against the presence of a ''sensus divinitatis'':〔 〕 # The divergence of claims and beliefs (lack of reliability, even within Christian sects). # The lack of demonstrably superior morality of Christians versus non-Christians. # Bible verses, accepted by most Christians as authored by men inspired by the Holy Spirit — presumably with a functioning ''sensus divinitatis'' — in which "God performs, commands, accepts or countenances rape, genocide, human sacrifice, pestilence to punish David for taking a census, killing David's infant to punish him, hatred of family, capital punishment for breaking a monetary promise, and so on". Philosopher Steven Maitzen claimed in 2006 that the demographics of religious belief make the existence of the ''sensus divinitatis'' unlikely, as this sense appears so unevenly distributed.〔 〕 However, Maitzen may have confused Aquinas's ''sensus dei'' with ''sensus divinitatis'' - ''sensus divinitatis'' (a religious sense) only necessitates a core religious/faith component to one's beliefs, whereas the ''sensus dei'' aims at a natural knowledge of God - compare ''In the Twilight of Western Thought'' by Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977).〔 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sensus divinitatis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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