Credo quia absurdum
Encyclopedia
Credo quia absurdum is a Latin
phrase of uncertain origin. It means "I believe because it is absurd"
It is derived from a poorly remembered or misquoted passage in Tertullian
's De Carne Christi
defending the tenets of orthodox Christianity against docetism
, which reads in the original Latin:
The phrase is sometimes associated with the doctrine of fideism
, that is, "a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority." (Catholic Encyclopedia
).
In Civilization and Its Discontents, Sigmund Freud
reverts to the phrase while questioning the commandment "Thou shalt love thine enemies". In The Future of an Illusion, Freud again refers to this phrase as a tactic to evade the need to support one's factual beliefs with reasons. The phrase appears again in Freud's Moses and Monotheism, in his discussion of the development of religion, in context of Freud's argument that those whose sense of spirituality is developed enough to provide for non-rational belief take great pride in this achievement and consider it an accomplishment that makes them superior to others who have mere sensory beliefs.
It has also been used, though often in different interpretations, by some existentialists
.
The phrase inspired a celebrated bon mot by H.L. Mencken: "Tertullian is credited with the motto 'Credo quia absurdum' -- 'I believe because it is impossible'. Needless to say, he began life as a lawyer."
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phrase of uncertain origin. It means "I believe because it is absurd"
It is derived from a poorly remembered or misquoted passage in Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
's De Carne Christi
De Carne Christi
De Carne Christi is a polemical work by Tertullian against the Gnostic Docetism of Marcion, Apelles, Valentinus and Alexander. It purports that the body of Christ was a real human body, taken from the virginal body of Mary, but not by way of human procreation...
defending the tenets of orthodox Christianity against docetism
Docetism
In Christianity, docetism is the belief that Jesus' physical body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion; that is, Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and to physically die, but in reality he was incorporeal, a pure spirit, and hence could not physically die...
, which reads in the original Latin:
- Crucifixus est Dei Filius, non pudet, quia pudendum est;
- et mortuus est Dei Filius, prorsus credibile est, quia ineptum est;
- et sepultus resurrexit, certum est, quia impossibile.
- — (De Carne Christi V, 4)
- "The Son of God was crucified: there is no shame, because it is shameful.
- And the Son of God died: it is wholly credible, because it is unsound.
- And, buried, He rose again: it is certain, because impossible."
The phrase is sometimes associated with the doctrine of fideism
Fideism
Fideism is an epistemological theory which maintains that faith is independent of reason, or that reason and faith are hostile to each other and faith is superior at arriving at particular truths...
, that is, "a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority." (Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
).
In Civilization and Its Discontents, Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
reverts to the phrase while questioning the commandment "Thou shalt love thine enemies". In The Future of an Illusion, Freud again refers to this phrase as a tactic to evade the need to support one's factual beliefs with reasons. The phrase appears again in Freud's Moses and Monotheism, in his discussion of the development of religion, in context of Freud's argument that those whose sense of spirituality is developed enough to provide for non-rational belief take great pride in this achievement and consider it an accomplishment that makes them superior to others who have mere sensory beliefs.
It has also been used, though often in different interpretations, by some existentialists
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
.
The phrase inspired a celebrated bon mot by H.L. Mencken: "Tertullian is credited with the motto 'Credo quia absurdum' -- 'I believe because it is impossible'. Needless to say, he began life as a lawyer."