Otto bases his epistemology upon the rationalistic approach,using Kant's critical method. On the whole, it is fair to state that Otto's epistemology must be understood against the background of his Philosophy of Religion,but that his mature epistemological formulation is found in The Idea of the Holy. Many concepts are carried over from the earlier work to the later, but many innovations are introduced in The Idea of the Holy which do not appear in the Philosophy of Religion. His later work, The Idea of the Holy, was intended to build upon the philosophical foundation already laid, and to treat the non-rational, or non-conceptual, element in religious knowledge. His early work, Philosophy of Religion, was intended to lay a philosophical foundation for his whole system, and to treat the rational element in religious knowledge. Within Otto's own system, there are indications of development of ideas over a period of years. Some are the outgrowth of Otto's Rationalistic use of the critical method, and some are upon religious antonomy. These changes are not of uniform quality, however. Otto made important changes in the epistemological theories of Kant, and the religious theories of Schleiermacher. As a philosopher of religion, he followed Luther and Schleiermacher principally. As a philosopher, he was part of the Neo-Friesian school of Kantian critical philosophy. Rudolf Otto's principal aim was the elucidation of religious knowledge on its own terms.
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