According to Swinburne, how should personal testimonies of religious experiences be regarded?

Swinburne argues that personal testimonies of religious experiences should be accepted as credible due to the intrinsic nature of the experiences themselves. He believes that individuals can gain direct knowledge of God through these experiences, which holds value that goes beyond mere subjective feelings. This perspective is grounded in the principle that people generally have no reason to lie about their genuine experiences, and such testimonies can provide a valid basis for belief in God.

Moreover, Swinburne employs the principle of credulity, which posits that if it seems to someone that they are experiencing something, in the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to accept that their experience reflects reality. This principle allows for personal accounts of religious experiences to be given serious weight, contributing to the overall discourse on the existence of the divine.

In this view, the credibility of personal testimonies is not contingent upon external validations or alignment with religious texts but rather on the honesty and sincerity of the individual's experience. By asserting that these accounts deserve acceptance, Swinburne highlights the importance of subjective experience in the realm of religious belief.