practices should I adhere to as someone aware of the mystery of life and death? ! From outside: how can we understand religion as disinterested observers?
practices should I adhere to as someone aware of the mystery of life and death? ! From outside: how can we understand religion as disinterested observers? religious studies: what are the practices, beliefs and histories of various religions?
practices should I adhere to as someone aware of the mystery of life and death? ! From outside: how can we understand religion as disinterested observers? religious studies: what are the practices, beliefs and histories of various religions? sociology: how do religions work as institutions expressing shared values and how do they relate to other social institutions?
practices should I adhere to as someone aware of the mystery of life and death? ! From outside: how can we understand religion as disinterested observers? religious studies: what are the practices, beliefs and histories of various religions? sociology: how do religions work as institutions expressing shared values and how do they relate to other social institutions? psychology: what is going on in the mind when people have religious beliefs or engage in religious practices?
practices should I adhere to as someone aware of the mystery of life and death? ! From outside: how can we understand religion as disinterested observers? religious studies: what are the practices, beliefs and histories of various religions? sociology: how do religions work as institutions expressing shared values and how do they relate to other social institutions? psychology: what is going on in the mind when people have religious beliefs or engage in religious practices? philosophy: can religious thinking be rationally justified?
so in what sense – as separate from nature, identical with nature, or in some other way? 2. Do any “spiritual things” such as gods, souls, disembodied spirits, demons or ghosts exist or is the universe and everything in it purely material stuff? metaphysical questions
so in what sense – as separate from nature, identical with nature, or in some other way? 2. Do any “spiritual things” such as gods, souls, disembodied spirits, demons or ghosts exist or is the universe and everything in it purely material stuff? 3. What does the existence of evil in the world imply about the existence or non-existence of God? metaphysical questions
the existence of a God? 2. What is the relation between reason and faith in general and what does this tell us about religion? epistemological questions
the existence of a God? 2. What is the relation between reason and faith in general and what does this tell us about religion? 3. Does religious experience warrant religious belief? epistemological questions
the existence of a God? 2. What is the relation between reason and faith in general and what does this tell us about religion? 3. Does religious experience warrant religious belief? 4. Are religious explanations of natural phenomena in competition with scientific explanations? epistemological questions
institutions necessary for social order? 2. Can we have morality without religion? 3. Is religion a purely private matter or should it play a public role in modern societies? value-theory questions
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism This is what we often think of when we think of religion – the idea that there is one all- powerful God, an idea common to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism There are many gods. polytheism Historically monotheism grew out of polytheism. Polytheism is alive and well in India in the form of Hinduism.
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism There are many gods. polytheism An impersonal creator God exists. deism Deism was popular during the Enlightenment and many founders of the American Republic were deists.
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism There are many gods. polytheism An impersonal creator God exists. deism God is in all things. pantheism Pantheism is related to animism, or the ancient idea that all things have spirits.
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism There are many gods. polytheism An impersonal creator God exists. deism God is in all things. pantheism No. God does not exist. atheism You might think that a negative conclusion like this cannot be proved, but the argument from evil tries to do so.
God or the gods? Yes. A single God exists. monotheism There are many gods. polytheism An impersonal creator God exists. deism God is in all things. pantheism No. God does not exist. atheism Maybe. We don’t or can’t know if God exists. agnosticism Is this the most reasonable position to take, or are there strong arguments in favor of or against belief? Buddhism might be considered an agnostic religion.
God is evident in basic facts about the world of our experience. St. Thomas Aquinas was an important figure in the history of the Catholic Church. He combined the conceptual framework of Greek philosophy, especially Aristotle, with the core beliefs of Medieval Christianity. His ideas continue to provide the basis for contemporary Catholic philosophy and theology.
God is evident in basic facts about the world of our experience. Whatever exists has a cause. The universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument
universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument This argument is VALID, but is it SOUND? Are the premises true?
universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument Does everything have to have a cause?
universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument According to quantum physics maybe not since some things can just happen.
universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument Is there any reason why the universe could not have existed forever?
universe as a whole exists. So there must be a cause for the universe existing and this cause is God. the cosmological argument Even given that the universe has a cause, why must this cause be God?
The work of God is evident in the complexity of the natural world. William Paley was an influential English Protestant minister of the 18th Century. His arguments are still popular among contemporary “creationists” and backers of “intelligent design theory.”
The work of God is evident in the complexity of the natural world. If we found a watch on a deserted island we would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent person. Likewise with living organisms – they too are best explained by a designer Thus a God who designed and created living organisms must exist. the teleological argument
a deserted island we would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent person. Likewise with living organisms – they too are best explained by a designer Thus a God who designed and created living organisms must exist. the teleological argument This is an “argument to the best explanation” which claims that the best explanation for the complexity of living things is that there is a God who created them.
a deserted island we would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent person. Likewise with living organisms – they too are best explained by a designer Thus a God who designed and created living organisms must exist. the teleological argument To see whether this is true we need to know whether there are other workable explanations.
a deserted island we would conclude that it was designed by an intelligent person. Likewise with living organisms – they too are best explained by a designer Thus a God who designed and created living organisms must exist. the teleological argument Charles Darwin argued that there is a better explanation – evolution by natural selection.
Reason alone can convince us to believe that God exists. Anselm of Canterbury was born in France but ascended through the ranks of the Medieval Church to become Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Church in England. His philosophical work was an early attempt to systematize Church doctrine and establish it on a rational basis.
Reason alone can convince us to believe that God exists. We can imagine a perfect being. If this being did not exist, it would lack something and thus not be perfect. Thus a perfect being (God) must exist. the ontological argument
If this being did not exist, it would lack something and thus not be perfect. Thus a perfect being (God) must exist. the ontological argument This argument is an example of a reductio ad absurdum in that it claims that the opposite of what it is trying to prove – the non-existence of a being defined as perfect – makes no sense.
If this being did not exist, it would lack something and thus not be perfect. Thus a perfect being (God) must exist. the ontological argument This argument seems to be cheating – can we really conclude anything about reality based just on our definition of the concept “perfect being?”
If this being did not exist, it would lack something and thus not be perfect. Thus a perfect being (God) must exist. the ontological argument Is existence really a feature of things in the way this argument seems to require?
If this being did not exist, it would lack something and thus not be perfect. Thus a perfect being (God) must exist. the ontological argument What does this very abstract idea of a perfect being have to do with the God of religion?
What can we really know based on the available evidence? David Hume was a major figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. He sought to apply the scientific method to the study of human knowledge. This often led him to skeptical conclusions about how much we really can claim to know. He is now recognized as a pioneer in cognitive psychology as well being an influential philosopher.
What can we really know based on the available evidence? If there is an all-powerful, all- knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil
knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil This argument is VALID, but is it SOUND? Are the premises true?
knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil The existence of evil could be explained away if God either couldn’t do anything about it, did not know or did not care to stop it.
knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil The fact of undeserved evil, such as childhood disease, presents a big challenge to the theist.
knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil The theist must respond by showing that there is a good reason for evil in the world.
knowing and all-good God, then evil should not exist. But there clearly is evil in the world. This gives us a strong reason to doubt the existence of such a God. the argument from evil The most popular defense of God is the appeal to free will - God made us free to choose good or evil and this requires evil in the world.
We are all compelled to gamble. Blaise Pascal was a mathematician and deeply religious philosopher. He was one of the inventors of probability theory and applied probabalistic reasoning to the question of religious belief.
We are all compelled to gamble. We have no conclusive evidence for the existence or non-existence of God. But the risk of not believing in case God exists –punishment in hell– far out- weighs whatever benefit we might get from not believing should God not exist. Thus we have a strong reason to believe that God exists. Pascal’s wager
for the existence or non-existence of God. But the risk of not believing in case God exists –punishment in hell– far out- weighs whatever benefit we might get from not believing should God not exist. Thus we have a strong reason to believe that God exists. Pascal’s wager This argument is a practical argument which looks at the potential payoffs of belief as opposed to unbelief.
for the existence or non-existence of God. But the risk of not believing in case God exists –punishment in hell– far out- weighs whatever benefit we might get from not believing should God not exist. Thus we have a strong reason to believe that God exists. Pascal’s wager Given the difficulties presented by the other arguments, this seems correct.
for the existence or non-existence of God. But the risk of not believing in case God exists –punishment in hell– far out- weighs whatever benefit we might get from not believing should God not exist. Thus we have a strong reason to believe that God exists. Pascal’s wager Even if the probability of God’s existence is very low, the infinite penalty involved in not believing should God actually exist is too great to ignore.
for the existence or non-existence of God. But the risk of not believing in case God exists –punishment in hell– far out- weighs whatever benefit we might get from not believing should God not exist. Thus we have a strong reason to believe that God exists. Pascal’s wager Is this a reason to believe or just a motive for believing? And can we believe whatever we may want or feel the need to believe?
BCE What we believe about ultimate questions is less important than how we live. Siddhartha Guatama, “the Buddha,” was an Indian prince who left a comfortable life to seek a solution to the human predicament. He claimed to find one in a way of life emphasizing self-knowledge, ethical action and contemplation of the impermanent nature of things.
BCE What we believe about ultimate questions is less important than how we live. Arguing about the nature of God, the soul, life after death is like arguing about the details of the arrow after having been shot with one. It is far more important to pull the arrow out than worry about who shot it and from how far away. The same is true of religious practice – it is intended to overcome suffering not answer ultimate questions. the parable of the arrow
soul, life after death is like arguing about the details of the arrow after having been shot with one. It is far more important to pull the arrow out than worry about who shot it and from how far away. The same is true of religious practice – it is intended to overcome suffering not answer ultimate questions. the parable of the arrow Buddhism is often considered to be a religion, but it is non-theistic in that it holds that God or the gods are not relevant for resolving the difficulties with being human.
soul, life after death is like arguing about the details of the arrow after having been shot with one. It is far more important to pull the arrow out than worry about who shot it and from how far away. The same is true of religious practice – it is intended to overcome suffering not answer ultimate questions. the parable of the arrow Metaphysical questions may be interesting, but perhaps they are besides the point.
soul, life after death is like arguing about the details of the arrow after having been shot with one. It is far more important to pull the arrow out than worry about who shot it and from how far away. The same is true of religious practice – it is intended to overcome suffering not answer ultimate questions. the parable of the arrow Human beings seek to get to the root of the difficulties of living and dying. Religion is one response to this.
soul, life after death is like arguing about the details of the arrow after having been shot with one. It is far more important to pull the arrow out than worry about who shot it and from how far away. The same is true of religious practice – it is intended to overcome suffering not answer ultimate questions. the parable of the arrow In spite of its lack of concern for religious belief, Buddhism shares with other religions a sense of the sacredness and mystery of life.
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