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PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.
Antiquitam, argumentum ad
It is the fallacy of assuming something is good or right simply because it is old. (42).
A possible objection to Christian orthodoxy and Biblical orthodoxy arises; that is the assumption that this type of fallacious reasoning is used in preserving these doctrines over progressive alternatives.
I will not write (speak) for others but antiquity is not primary in my reasoning in holding to Biblical, Christian doctrines.
Those doctrines are primarily held to because Scripture is supported by thousands of manuscript copies in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Certain scribes and writers within these religious communities were inspired by God to write supernaturally revealed, consistent, reasonable, theological messages from Genesis to Revelation, from creation and the fall to the atonement and resurrection work of Christ to the last things.
The Scripture is reasonable and sound religious history that leads to sound theology and is parallelled by sound philosophy of religion in support.
The antiquity in itself is not sufficient reason by itself alone, for Christian faith and philosophy. It can lend support, but when reasonable through argument.
Yes, every worldview has its difficulties. Theodicy and the problem of evil, which I dealt with for twelve years academically (I believe successfully, although I do not have infinite knowledge) being a primarily Christian worldview example, but I also examined other worldviews and find the Christian worldview least problematic.
Back to Pirie:
He comments that there is 'nothing in the age of belief or an assertion which alone makes it right.' (42).
I would agree, because the soundness of arguments, the quality of premises and conclusions is far more important than antiquity.
In this realm we have several old religions, of say more that one hundred years old, that contradict each other on several major points.
Contrary to what many state, these religions cannot all be essentially true in regard to the nature of God and salvation due to contradictions. For example, Biblical Christianity claiming the exclusivity of Christ for salvation in relation to the Father (John 8, 10, 14, 1 John). The deity of Christ, as God the Son within the Trinity, and his atonement and resurrection work for salvation alone by grace through faith, notably contrasting Christianity with Islam, for example, which denies these.
Pirie states that this fallacy economizes thought and eliminates difficult decision making. (42).
He writes that to hold to the old way of doing things does not make it right and does not make it wrong, even if this reasoning has taken place for thousands of years. (43).
It is fallacious to place too much emphasis on antiquity in deciding whether or not the old way is right or if it is wrong.
