Philosophy of religion: Difference between revisions

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The '''philosophy of religion''' is that branch of [[philosophy]] concerned with [[religion]] and religions.  It It differs from philosophical theology in that the philosophy of religion applies philosophy to religion, whicle theology applies philosophy to questionas and problems within religion.  There is considerable overlap, however, between the topics and methods of the two disciplines.
The '''philosophy of religion''' is that branch of [[philosophy]] concerned with [[religion]] and religions.  It It differs from [[philosophical theology]] in that the philosophy of religion applies philosophy to religion, while theology applies philosophy to questions and problems within religion.  There is considerable overlap, however, between the topics and methods of the two disciplines.


The philosophy of religion typically investigates [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] questions such as the nature of religion, the existence and nature of a [[god]] or gods, and the possibility of [[miracle]]s, [[Epistemology|epistemological]] questions such as the status and nature of [[faith]] and of [[religious experience]], questions of the possibility and nature or [[religious language]], and [[Ethics|ethical]] questions concerning the relationship between morality and a god or gods.
The philosophy of religion typically investigates [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] questions such as the nature of religion, the existence and nature of a [[god]] or gods, and the possibility of [[miracle]]s, [[Epistemology|epistemological]] questions such as the status and nature of [[faith]] and of [[religious experience]], questions of the possibility and nature or [[religious language]], and [[Ethics|ethical]] questions concerning the relationship between morality and a god or gods.

Revision as of 10:29, 16 February 2007

The philosophy of religion is that branch of philosophy concerned with religion and religions. It It differs from philosophical theology in that the philosophy of religion applies philosophy to religion, while theology applies philosophy to questions and problems within religion. There is considerable overlap, however, between the topics and methods of the two disciplines.

The philosophy of religion typically investigates metaphysical questions such as the nature of religion, the existence and nature of a god or gods, and the possibility of miracles, epistemological questions such as the status and nature of faith and of religious experience, questions of the possibility and nature or religious language, and ethical questions concerning the relationship between morality and a god or gods.

(In what follows, the term "god" will be used to stand for "a god or gods".)

The nature of religion

Metaphysics

The existence of god

Arguments for the existence of god

Arguments against the existence of god

The nature of god

Divine attributes

Space and time

The relationship between god and the world

Miracles and prayer

Epistemology

Faith, knowledge, and belief

Religious experience

Religious knowledge

Morality and religion

The Euthyphro dilemma

The consistency of religion and morality

Further reading

Collections of readings

  • Ann Loades and Loyal D. Rue [edd] Contemporary Classic in Philosophy of Religion. La Salle, Illinois: Open Court, 1991. ISBN0-8126-9169-5
  • Eleonore Stump and Michael J. Murray [edd] Philosophy of Religion: The Big Questions. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. ISBN 0-631-20604-3

General and introductory monographs

  • Brian Davies An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-19-289235-5
  • Robin Le Poidevin Arguing for Atheism: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. London: Routledge 1996. ISBN 0-415-09338-4
  • J.L. Mackie The Miracle of Theism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982. ISBN 0-19-824682-X
  • Arvind Sharma The Philosophy of religion: A Buddhist Perspective. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN019564272-4
  • Charles Taliaferro Contemporary Philosophy of Religion. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. ISBN 1-55786-449-7

See also