I’m about halfway through Rauch’s book now, and one thing that is weighing on me is Rauch’s use of the phrase “reality-based community” with an focus on scientific empiricism. The implication, of course, is that “science” has a privileged view of “realty” whereas as other modes of human understanding are somehow less “real”.
To explore my gut vibes about all that, I decided to call a contrary witness to the stand: Martin Luther. (Any number of other spiritual or philosophical figures might likewise be cited on the notion of “reality” beyond the empirical scientific. The example of Luther just struck me has a good-as-any example to illustrate my key idea.) I doubt Luther ever responded to the phrase “reality-based community” directly, but through the magic of AI we might imagine what he would have said. See that session below.
Gemini:
Martin Luther would have understood the “reality-based community” through the lens of his Two Kingdoms doctrine. He viewed it as a sphere of divinely ordered temporal reality. While empirical, this community was governed by natural law rather than saving grace, designed by God to restrain evil and preserve order. [1, 2, 3, 4]
A more localized, historical perspective reveals exactly how he would have categorized these concepts:
- Discernable Reality (The Left-Hand Kingdom): Luther believed humans could use their natural reason, senses, and observation to discern worldly truths. The “reality-based” study of politics, economics, and nature is legitimate and necessary in earthly life, governed by civil authorities rather than the Bible.
- The Spiritual Realm (The Right-Hand Kingdom): Faith and salvation, however, transcend the reality-based community. The spiritual truths of the Gospel are not subject to empirical proof or human reason; they must be accepted through faith in the written Word of God.
- The Danger of “Creating Realities”: Luther fiercely opposed leaders who claimed to create their own realities, such as the radical spiritualists or the corruptions of the Papacy. For Luther, substituting human imagination or political ambition for observable reality or God’s word was the ultimate form of pride and falsehood.
For additional context on how Luther’s theology separated the limits of human reason from divine truth, you can read more about his Luther’s Two Kingdoms (governances) doctrine. [2, 6]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://dissentmagazine.org/article/symposium-e-j-dionne-jr/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV78hav3VSU
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYKjDonDWxA
[4] https://inthesetimes.com/article/dreaming-up-new-politics
[5] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020964318802818