One common objection to Presuppositional Apologetics is that it utilizes circular reasoning. However, the reality is that all worldviews ultimately depend upon circular reasoning.
Quotes from Critics About Presuppositional Apologetics Being Circular
Below are quotes from people who criticize Presuppositional Apologetics as being circular
There is to be nothing which smacks of begging the question or circular reasoning… The use of logic or reason is the ”only” valid way to examine the truth or falsity of any statement which claims to be factual.
Atheist Gordon Stein
Pretended Neutrality: Does the Critic of Presuppositional Apologetics Use Circular Reasoning?
The claim from atheists that presuppositional apologists utilize circular reasoning and atheists do not is simply false. Greg Bahnsen has suggested that we call this the ”Pretended Neutrality” fallacy.
First Principles
Everyone has fundamental presuppositions, or first principles, upon which the rest of the worldview is derived from, and these fundamental presuppositions are, by necessity, circular. They must be circular because since they are “fundamental,” or “first,” one cannot appeal to anything higher than them, or else they would not be fundamental.
The fundamental presupposition of the Christian is that God has revealed objective truth through the Bible.
The atheist says that all facts must be proven by logic, reason, or experience. This assertion begs the question, “How do you prove the statement that we must prove facts with logic, reason, or experience?”
If the atheist says that we use logic, reason, or experience to prove that statement, then he is engaging in the same circular reasoning that he accuses the Christian of using. If the atheist says that the statement is proven by another method, then he undermines his assertion that all facts must be proven by logic, reason, or experience.
Nobody Is Philosophically Neutral
The conclusion of all of this is that nobody is philosophically neutral. Everyone has fundamental presuppositions, or first principles, that are necessarily circular, since they are fundamental. This is true for both the atheist and the Christian.
More Resources
Below are additional resources about Presuppositional Apologetics.
