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Westphal (Post Kantian reconstruction of the deist project (Kant (Religion…
Westphal
Post Kantian reconstruction of the deist project
Kant
Background
A rationalist
Augustinian
All humans have original sin
Humans can freely choose evil
Moral regeneration is needed
A deist
Religion = Images symbols and metaphors
Philosophy = Reason
Religion
"Religion should be governed by reason alone"
Religion is not about trying to please God
Religion is about living as best as you can to the natural law
Religion (Church) is a community devoted to living morally perfect lives
Kant
dismissed priesthood and 'fetish faith'
Rituals and scriptures help people to discover the moral law
Religion is the recognition that all duties are divinely commanded
Therefore religion is not necessary for a moral life
Morality
There is an intrinsic, objective moral law
We can discover this moral law using God given reason
To lead good lives we must discover the moral law and live according to it
There are examples of morally perfect prototypes (Jesus)
These prototypes can help people to discover the law
Philosophy
Morality does not depend on religion
Morality leads to religion
We must be immortal to lead fully moral lives
We cannot know God as he is beyond our understanding
Divinity cannot be established by reason
We cannot know God through purely theoretical Reason but through practical reason
Hegel
Philosophy
A finite thing can only become free when it has become infinite
Humanity is evolving into absolute geist
Human philosophical thought is based solely on reason
Humans have raised themselves to the infinite
We can then know God through reason
People that have absolute geist have complete freedom and not a slave to the passions
Humans see the world objectively rather than subjectively
Hegel
wanted to rescue philosophical theology
Philosophy allows us to grasp true knowledge
God is a personal being distinct from the created world
The elevation of human spirit happens in all religions
Hegel's
philosophy defends itself in proper philosophical arguments rather than hides itself in 'feeling'
Religion
Basically true
Philosophy of religion is about personal experience and human knowledge
Not satisfied of
Kant's
reduction of religion to morality
Not satisfied of
Schleiermacher's
romanticism and reduction of religion to feeling
Religion must be the knowledge of God
Presents the world through images symbols and metaphors
Religion however fails to free itself from the concepts
Philosophy of religion is not adequate for the infinite and eternal
Religion must be reinterpreted (Demythologised) to provide us with adequate concepts for theology
Religion therefore, it the elevation of finite spirit into absolute or infinite spirit
The bible is a way in which God has come to help humans to elevate finite spirit to the infinite
Religious figures such as Jesus should not be seen as a unique, separate divine being, but an example of how every human can become infinite/divine
Places too much emphasis on feeling, senses an historical narratives
Background
An idealist
Non physical things have a higher, purer existence
God can be known
Religion and philosophy have the same focus
Schleiermacher
Background
Religion is an essential part of being human
Metaphysics and morality belong to the husk
Inspired by
Spinoza's
pantheism
Moves away from deist ideologies
Describes traditional deism as "Vein mythology"
Philosophy
The ego is a reflection of the universe and humanity as a whole
The universe/God is to be understood not through reason but 'feeling'
Self consciousness/enlightenment makes us achieve supreme unity
Religious experience is more important than religious knowledge
Kernel = feeling
Religion
Religion comes from immediate experience
Religion (Church) is a community of people who recognize the contemplation and unity of the infinite
'Regular church' does not need to be scrapped
For Schleiermacher, religion can be simply an association of people who are seeking religion
The kernel can clothe itself in particular ideas and practices
Rituals are not essential but can help people with achieving 'feeling'
Lessing
Knowledge of God cannot depend on historical events in the bible
Christian themes must be reinterpreted/Demythologized
Pre-Kantian philosophical theology
Scholastic
Uses both reason and faith/revelation
Augustinian
thinking
Deistic
Reason and faith should be separate
Religion should be 'demythologised'
Kernal
Creator God
Husk
Anything miraculous or supernatural
Motivation
Autonomy
Independent authority of human reason
Religious tolerance
No more religious warfare
Anti-clericalism
Denying the church special authority
'Religious warfare'
Before the enlightenment many arguments and wars were fought over religious belief
Philosophers sought to foster moral unity rather than immoral hostility
Philosophers had to 'demythologise' religion
Religion and morality had to be universal in order to prevent conflict
Deism sought to solve these problems
We must know god through reason
Hume
and
Kant
Criticized the classical arguments for the existence of God
Both scholastic and deistic ideas had to be rethought
Hume
wanted to disprove religion
Kant
wanted to offer a rational development of religion
Hume
and the hermeneutics of suspicion
Background
Modern philosophy of religion is a result of extreme dissatisfaction of traditional Christianity
These philosophers do not seek to find an alternative religion
The problem of religion lies in the very heart (Kernel) rather than the husk
Religion is an illusion
Hume
Suspicious of the underlying motives of religious belief and practices
Religion is a selfish desire to please the gods
We practice religion out of the self interest of "Riches in heaven"
We use religion as a means to an end
Marx
Focus's on function rather than motive
Suspicious of the function religion plays in society
Religion legitimizes exploitation of the working class
Allows people to willingly submit to authority
E.g Jesus teachings such as "treat your neighbor as yourself" and "turn the other cheek"
Working class are motivated by the satisfaction of "Riches in heaven" and hell for the wealthy
"Religion is the opiate of the people"
Religion is therefore a tool to control the masses by making them believe that they can endure exploitation as there will be a better life after this one
Nietzsche
Religion is rooted in the slave revolt in morals
Religion makes the rich and powerful feel guilty
Religion makes ordinary people morally superior
Religious teaching shows believers not to physically punish their oppressors
Priests and religious believers work together by designating their dominators as evil
People and priests gain moral satisfaction of knowing that god will punish them in the afterlife
The oppressors take responsibility of their sinful behavior in hell