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Originally Posted by Spear Dane  I originally wrote this 2 years ago. At that time I was critical of Dooyweerd's modal scheme. The more I read up on him, especially what he says elsewhere on "enkapsis," the more I think he might be on to something. Don't necessarily think that there are 15 modalities, or whether several could be collapsed into each other, but I think there is something to commend it. |
I second the critical portion quoted by Bahnsen. The idea of a distinctive reformed philosophy is a worry. Philosophy is descriptive. It provides insight into the way we function, but cannot set forth normative principles in and of itself. I also can't get a good grasp on the modal scheme, but I think that is because sphere sovereignty doesn't work practically. It's good for analysis, but man essentially moves in multiple spheres. In the end, the traditional nature/grace distinction is found to be essential to a biblical worldview. The reformed philosophy movement has given us sound criticisms of western thought and culture, but requires dismantling at important points. William Young and Cornelis Pronk have provided helpful articles which show the fundamental departures of neo-calvinism from traditional reformed thought.