Anti-realist viewpoint

Whether or not something is a miracle depends on how the event is seen by different people. The term ‘miracle’ is correctly applied if it makes sense within the form of life of the religious believer

The term ‘miracle’ Does not have to correspond to any particular state of affairs in order to be correctly applied; it just has to correspond to the form of life of the individual or group. Doesn’t have to correspond to objective reality or any definition.

G E Moore present an antirealist understanding of miracles. He begins with his definition of a miracle as an event that has no explanation.

According to Moore, If the religious believer sees an event that has no physical explanation in terms of the laws of nature, they will call it a miracle. The religious believer has a form of life (context of framework) with which to explain the event.

The idea of God exist within their ‘Reality’ Or ‘Context’, For them if there is no natural explanation, God must be the cause. The miracle is in the mind of the believer, or may see the same event and not view it as miraculous.

Moore Explains further, ‘People do not discover religious truths they make them’. ‘God Exists’ Is true within the form of life of the believing community

For the antirealist, the Word miracle is correctly applied if, and only if, it coheres with the understanding of ‘miracle’ Within the religious form of life of the individual or the community to which they belong. Miracles are in the eye of the beholder, evidence has no relevance – it is a matter of interpretation.

For the realist, the word miracle is correctly applied if, and only if, the event is brought about by the action of God

For the non-believer who sees an event that has no explanation, the event is inexplicable – they don’t have a concept of God in their framework or context. Their context is different to that of the believer.

Illustration of the young boy, the Boulder and the cliff face.

For Moore, this event was not caused by God – instead, it is an inexplicable event and, in the form of life of the believe in community, ‘miracle’ Is the word given to an inexplicable event

R.F Holland

A miracle is an event that is in accordance with the laws of nature but which the believer sees as being due to the action of God (sometimes referred to as a ‘coincidence’ miracle)

Holland gives the example of a child riding his toy motor car on a railway track

The mother believes is to be a miracle because it is beneficial and has religious significance. Is understanding fits the mother’s religious form of life, the concept of God exist within her reality. This event coherence with her religious life. It is correct to call this event a miracle because it makes sense within the mother’s form of life.

A realist view of this event would be that it is a miracle if it is brought about by specific action of a timeless or everlasting God. Vardy explains further:

“There is no point in looking for further evidence to help us decide between the realist and antirealist interpretations, there is no disagreement about the facts. The disagreement is about the interpretation and what it means to claim that it is true that’s a miracle has occurred.”

For the realist the event is a miracle if it has been caused by the specific action of a timeless and everlasting God

For the antirealistthe event is a miracle if it coheres with their understanding of miracle with their religious form of life

Jesus walking on water

• The realist may consider this a miracle as it is inexplicable and against the laws of nature – by factually existing God

• Antirealist would think something unusual happened that was brought about by God (in accordance to their Blick)