A religious ground motive (RGM) is a concept in the reformational philosophy of Herman Dooyeweerd.[1] In his book Roots of Western Culture[2][3] Dooyeweerd identified four great frameworks or value-systems that have determined human interpretations of reality with formative power[4][5][6] over Western culture. Three of these are dualistic and may be described in the terms of Hegelian dialectic as antitheses of opposite poles of reference that are eventually resolved by synthesis, only for the synthesis to draw out, inexorably, a new opposing pole and so a new antithesis.
Other RGMs may readily be added to Dooyeweerd's list, and this endeavour may be sanctioned by Dooyeweerd's own passing reference to a Zoroastrian RGM.[7]