Can We Judge Saints By Their Actions? The Controversy Between K. J. Clark and J. Hick

This analysis examines the positions of K. J. Clark and J. Hick on the possibility of identifying saints based on their actions. This includes the question of whether we are in an epistemic position that grants us sufficient access to other people’s motives, and also ethical considerations on the social and psychological effects of recognizing and praising saints. While both philosophers base sainthood on internal states, Clark rejects that we are capable of accurately assessing these, Hick, in turn, maintains the opposite stance. After presenting a few critical remarks, I conclude that neither perspective can be adopted in practice.