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Philosophy of Religion Content - Coggle Diagram
Philosophy of Religion Content
Philosophical Language and Thought
Ancient philosophical influences
the philosophical views of Plato, in relation to:
the Forms
the nature of the Forms, hierarchy of the Forms
the analogy of the cave
details of the analogy, its purpose and relation to the theory of the Forms
understanding of reality
Plato's reliance on reason as opposed to the senses
the philosophical views of Aristotle, in relation to
understanding of reality
Aristotle's use of teleology
the four causes
material, formal, efficient and final causes
the Prime Mover
the nature of Aristotle's Prime Mover and connections between this and the final cause
Discuss
comparison and evaluation of Plato's Form of the Good and Aristotle's Prime Mover
comparison and evaluation of Plato's reliance on reason (rationalism) and Aristotle's use of the senses (empiricism) in their attempts to make sense of reality
Soul, mind and body
the philosophical language of soul, mind and body in the thinking of Plato and Aristotle
Plato's view of the soul as the essential and immaterial part of a human, temporarily united with the body
Aristotle's view of the soul as the form of the body; the way the body behaves and lives; something which cannot be separated from the body
metaphysics of consciousness, inluding:
substance dualism
the idea that mind and body are distinct substances
Descartes' proposal of material and spiritual substances as a solution to the mind/soul and body problem
materialism
the idea that mind and consciousness can be fully explained by physical or material interactions
the rejection of a soul as a spiritual substance
Discuss
materialist critiques of dualism, and dualist responses to materialism
whether the concept of 'soul' is best understood metaphorically or as a reality
the idea that any discussion about the mind-body distinction is a category error
The Existence of God
Arguments based on observation
the teleological argument
details of this argument including reference to:
Aquinas' Fifth Way
Paley
the cosmological argument
details of this argument including reference to:
Aquinas' first three ways
challenges to arguments from observation
details of Hume's criticisms of these arguments for the existence of God from natural religion
the challenge of evolution
Discuss
whether
a posteriori
or
a priori
is the more persuasive style of argument
whether or not teleological arguments can be defended against the challenge of 'chance'
whether cosmological arguments simply jump to the conclusion of a transcendent creator, without sufficient explanation
whether or not there are logical fallacies in these arguments that cannot be overcome
Arguments based on reason
the ontological argument
details of this argument including reference to:
Anselm
Guanilo's criticisms
Kant's criticisms
Discuss
whether or not
a posteriori
or
a priori
is the more persuasive style of argument
whether or not existence can be treated as a predicate
whether or not the ontological argument justifies belief
whether or not there are any logical fallacies in this argument that cannot be overcome
God and the World
Religious Experience
the nature and influence of religious experience, including:
mystical experience
examples of mystical and conversion experiences and views about these, including:
views and main conclusion of William James
conversion experience
different ways in which individual religious experiences can be understood
union with a greater power
psychological effect such as illusion
product of a physiological effect
Discuss
whether personal testimony or witness is enough to support the validity of religious experiences
whether or not corporate religious experiences might be considered more reliable or valid than individual experiences
whether or not religious experience provides a basis for belief in God or a greater power
The Problem of Evil
the problem of evil and suffering:
different presentations
including its logical (the inconsistency between divine attributes and the presence of evil) and evidential (the evidence of so much terrible evil in the world) aspects
theodicies that propose some justification or reason for divine action or inaction in the face of evil
Augstine's use of original perfection and the Fall
Hick;s reworking of the Irenaean theodicy which gives some purpose to natural evil in enabling human beings to reach divine likeness
Discuss
whether or not Augistine's view of the origins of moral and natural evils is enough to spare God from blame for evils in the world
whether or not the need to create a 'vale of sou-making' can justify the existence or extent of evils
which of the logical or evidential aspects of the problem of evil pose the greater challenge to belief
whether or not it is possible to successfully defend monotheism in the face of evil