Philosophy Of Religion Research Articles

Non-ideal theory in the philosophy of religion: Exploring implications of non-ideal theorising for the problem of evil

Abstract This article explores the implications of non-ideal theorising for the problem of evil. The critique of ideal theory – which has gained increased attention in several philosophical sub-disciplines during recent years – states that analytic philosophers tend to rely on overly idealised conditions, to the point of being completely unrealistic, in their theorising. To investigate if this charge holds merit in the philosophy of religion, I apply a non-ideal methodology to one traditional area of philosophy of religion – the problem of evil. Here, Richard Swinburne’s theodicy constitutes a sample of how the problem of evil is typically approached in mainstream philosophy of religion. Additionally, Swinburne’s Principle of Credulity will, in relation to his theodicy, be interrogated as well. Applying non-ideal theorising, I find that Swinburne’s theorisation relies on idealised cases and presupposes ideal conditions, while overlooking non-ideal realities. Turning to epistemic injustice and epistemology of ignorance, I find that Swinburne assumes ideal epistemological conditions in both inter-agent communication (testimony), and in collective cognition. After examining the implications of such idealisations, I find that Swinburne’s idealisations abstract away non-ideal factors which are relevant for his theories, concluding that Swinburne displays tendencies typical of ideal theorising.

The Philosophical Investigations in Philosophy of Religion

Despite overlooking religious topics, Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations (PI) has had a large impact in philosophy of religion. This article surveys that influence and the reasons for it. In what follows, I first describe the reception of certain key concepts from the PI in philosophy of religion. Second, I examine a few scattered remarks on religious topics in the PI. Third, I consider the relevance of the PI for contemporary philosophy of religion. I argue that the dialogical nature of the PI, allowing different generations of readers to engage it with their particular philosophical problems, is key to its longterm influence.

Freedom, Omniscience and the Contingent A Priori

Abstract One of the major challenges in the philosophy of religion is theological fatalism — roughly, the claim that divine omniscience is incompatible with free will. In this article, I present new reasons to be sceptical of what I consider to be the strongest argument for theological fatalism. First, I argue that divine foreknowledge is not necessary for an argument against free will if we take into account divine knowledge of contingent a priori truths. Second, I show that this argument can be generalized so that ordinary human knowledge of contingent a priori truths also leads to an argument against free will. This, I believe, results in an absurd conclusion that is unacceptable to both theists and non-theists. But if there is something wrong with this argument, there is something wrong, too, with the argument for theological fatalism. Although there is a range of possible responses, I suggest that the core issue in all cases is a closure principle — specifically, the principle that ‘no choice about’ is closed under entailment (or strict implication).

An Inquiry on Ancient Natural Theology: The Milesians

Natural theology is a branch of philosophy that employs empirical and logical methods to gain insight into the nature of God and His attributes. The fundamental structure of natural theology is derived from the tenets of religion and the essential concerns of metaphysics, a branch of philosophy. The arguments for the existence of God represent a central aspect of religious discourse. Consequently, natural theology is situated at the nexus of religion and philosophy. The investigation of the nature of God is a pursuit that has been undertaken since the earliest periods of human history. Nevertheless, within the context of Western philosophy, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Greek tradition. In the last century, there has been a tendency to approach the Pre-Socratics with a certain degree of bias. These philosophers have been viewed in two distinct ways: either as evangelists of the prophetic path or as scientists whose focus was solely on nature itself and who made no theological claims. This paper aims to examine the possibility of offering an alternative interpretation of their philosophical contributions from the perspective of natural theology. It is proposed that exploring the historical context could provide new insights into the study of philosophy and religion. Scholars engaged in the field of the philosophy of religion and those specializing in the history of philosophy may gain new perspectives by tracing the footprints of natural theology within the surviving fragments of the Milesian school.

Drowning in Hegel or the Baptism of Philosophy

Abstract In this contribution, I will focus on Hegel’s presentation of the practice of baptism as found in his work, The Spirit of Christianity and its Fate. First, I contextualize the motif of baptism in its variegated forms in the New Testament and especially in Paul’s theology (Rom 6:4). Subsequently, I situate Hegel’s engagement with baptism in his early philosophy of religion, demonstrating how he refers to biblical accounts of baptism and then transforms them. My thesis is that Hegel transformed baptism from a biblical motif in his Early Theological Writings into an entrance into philosophical thought, as can be observed repeatedly in several of his later works such as the Lectures on the History of Philosophy, the Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences and the Phenomenology of Spirit.

Linguodidactic and interdisciplinary analysis of the concept of mediation as a terminological problem

Importance. CEFR Companion Volume 2018 pays special attention to the development of four modes of communication (including mediation) along with the formation of communicative competence. The purpose of this research is to conduct an interdisciplinary analysis of the term “mediation” as well as to clarify this term in the Russian language.Materials and Methods. Research methods include analysis and interpretation of literature. The research materials are literature review of foreign and Russian scientists in the field of jurisprudence and law, philosophy, philosophy of religion, social philosophy, sociology, management, psychology, reflexive psychology, cultural-historical psychology, conflictology, linguistics, pedagogy, translation and translation studies, as well as linguodidactics.Result and Discussion. The concept of “mediation” is analyzed in various fields. The terminology in Russian for three types of mediation activities is clarified according to the CEFR Companion Volume 2018.Conclusion. In most scientific fields, mediation is viewed as a procedure involving three parties: two parties in conflict and one party acting as a neutral intermediary (mediator). However, in methodology of teaching foreign languages, the emphasis shifts to the fact that any student while developing his/her communicative competence, mastering four modes of communication, including mediation, can independently act as a mediator with any interlocutor or group of interlocutors.

Naděje jako most mezi etikou a filosofií náboženství v díle Immanuela Kanta

The paper focuses on the motif of hope, which plays an important role in Immanuel Kant’s practical philosophy. Hope builds a bridge between ethics and the philosophy of religion, and it does so as part of the highest good. I examine the notion of hope in Kant’s thought in three steps, based on three texts: Critique of Pure Reason (Canon of Pure Reason), Critique of Practical Reason (Postulates of Pure Practical Reason; Ethico-Theology), and Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason (Theory of Radical Evil in Human Nature). I provide arguments to show that, for Kant, hope is a necessary motive. Hope is understood as an attitude of reason, rather than as an emotion. I further demonstrate that in the concept of hope, the desire for happiness intersects with the desire to live well morally. The function of hope, in the context of a lifetime of moral practice, is to help remove obstacles to leading a moral life. Hope is not needed to know what to do. Hope is necessary as a component of the meaningfulness of the whole. The impossibility or loss of hope for the ultimate meaning, as including the achievement of one’s own bliss, would make the lifelong pursuit of morality impossible. Finally, hope turns out to be necessary as a response to the thesis of radical evil in human nature.

Answering Sraffa on Religion: Wittgenstein Walking the Tightrope

The subject of religion, one might think, although discussed in the Tractatus, is conspicuously absent from or in Wittgenstein’s later works, particularly in the Philosophical Investigations. Using Sraffa’s comments as a starting point, I tentatively deal with the absence of the subject by considering the question whether Wittgenstein’s religious views are compatible with his philosophies in the Tractatus and in the Philosophical Investigations. Answering this question involves examining Wittgenstein’s own central concern about his convictions in his later years, namely, to what extent one can honestly be a religious thinker nowadays. Presumably, his philosophy might not allow a “philosophy of religion”, if his own views on religion are not compatible with his philosophy. I tackle these issues beginning with Wittgenstein’s conversations with Ludwig Hänsel, then move to his later views and relevant passages in the Philosophical Investigations. With this in place, I uncover a religious moment that is not completely apparent in his later book, namely, an admission of errors that is a sort of confession.

“THE ETHICISATION OF RELIGION” IN THE RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWS OF M. TAREEV

The subject of the research in the article is the reception of I. Kant’s practical philosophy in the ethical component of the religious and philosophical views of M. Tareev. The hypothesis of the study is the assumption that there is a systemic influence of Kantian ethics and theology on the formation of M. Tareev’s religious and philosophical ideas, which manifested itself in borrowing the method and key concepts of practical philosophy, as well as the central concepts of I. Kant’s philosophy of religion. The research methodology is based on the systematic philosophical approach combined with the method of conceptual analysis of the sources of views and the method of historical and philosophical reconstruction. The novelty of the article lies in substantiating the central importance of the method and key concepts of I. Kant’s practical philosophy, such as the ideas of autonomy of the will, moral obligation and ethical community of people as sources of formation of M. Tareev’s own ideas.

An Introduction to Hegel’s Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion: The Issue of Religious Content in the Enlightenment and Romanticism by Jon Stewart (review)

An Introduction to Hegel’s Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion: The Issue of Religious Content in the Enlightenment and Romanticism by Jon Stewart (review)

God and Time

AbstractThis article introduces the reader to contemporary philosophical research on God and time, without presupposing any familiarity with either philosophy of religion or philosophy of time. To start with, aspects of the topic are compared to some structurally similar ideas in secular philosophical thought about time and ethics. The article then introduces timeless versus temporal conceptions of eternity and discusses positions intending to combine elements of both. There is a brief interlude on relevant background in temporal metaphysics regarding A‐ and B‐theories. The final two sections then examine recent developments in the timeless and temporal camps, with a particular emphasis on the role that temporal metaphysics is playing in discussions of the timeless approach.

Editorial Introduction

The articles in this issue are devoted to the question of whether consciousness is a fundamental feature of reality. In recent years the physicalist orthodoxy in the science and philosophy of consciousness has been challenged by a panpsychist insurgency (Chalmers, 2016; Goff, 2017; 2019), panpsychism being the view that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the physical universe. This new wave of panpsychists claim that their view avoids the deep challenges faced by physicalism as well as those faced by dualism, the traditional rival of physicalism. The best way to test whether panpsychism lives up to its promise is for philosophers and scientists to explore the pros and cons of panpsychism in discussion and in writing. Most of these articles were presented in some form at a workshop on the theme of 'Consciousness as Fundamental' at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, in September of 2023. This was one of two workshops that are part of a John Templeton Foundation funded project (Grant #62683) co-directed by Andrei A. Buckareff and Philip Goff on the theme of 'Panpsychism and Pan(en)theism: Philosophy of Mind Meets Philosophy of Religion'. Yanssel Garcia's article, entitled 'Is Consciousness Fundamental?', was the winner of an essay competition hosted by the project. These articles address the theme of whether consciousness is fundamental from a variety of perspectives, most focusing on different puzzles that arise if we assume a panpsychist framework in trying to explain consciousness.

Beyond Man: Race, Coloniality, and Philosophy of Religion, by An Yountae & Eleanor Craig (eds.)

Beyond Man: Race, Coloniality, and Philosophy of Religion, by An Yountae & Eleanor Craig (eds.)

Teaching the Critical Comparative Study of Religion as Engaged Global Citizenship

ABSTRACTIn this article, I make a case for bridging what I see as the competing demands faced by teacher‐scholars in higher education: our institutional orientations, our students' motivations, and our aspirations as scholars and educators. I contend that teaching about religion, broadly understood, regardless of theoretical and methodological orientation (be it within religious studies, for example, or theology, or philosophy of religion, or ethics, etc.) can be an impactful experience in the practice and cultivation of engaged global citizenship. Drawing from my own courses, and my use of the Reacting to the Past (RTTP) roleplay pedagogy, I show how a critically self‐aware practice is foundational to this goal, and how an integrated cross‐cultural comparative and collaborative method provides a powerful tool to accomplish this in dynamic and equitable ways.

XII—The Ethical Problem of Evil

Abstract I introduce a distinct challenge to religious belief: the Ethical Argument from evil. By this argument, paradigmatic forms of religious practice constitutively involve failures of ethical acknowledgement with respect to the reality of evil. I show how standard discussions of the problem of evil, as a purely logical or epistemic issue, abstract away from its fundamentally ethical dimensions. Drawing on an analogy with Moore’s paradox, I argue that the Ethical Argument presents a genuine theoretical problem, not merely a practical or pastoral one: the problem of how religious devotion can be compossible with properly acknowledging the reality of evil. I further argue that, in order properly to address this problem, the philosophy of religion needs to take a phenomenological turn. To illustrate this approach, I focus on the case of thankful prayer and draw out from Kierkegaard’s writings a religious ideal of unconditional gratitude. Developing the relevant notion of a failure of ethical acknowledgement in terms of two vices—wishful self-deception and spiritualized self-absorption—I show how Kierkegaard’s account can help us to assess whether expressions of religious devotion are objectionable on these grounds.

THE APPROACH TO LIBERATION AND SALVATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BUDDHIST NIRVANA AND CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION: Understanding the Philosophy of religion in Buddhism and Christianity

This study offers a comparative analysis of liberation in Buddhism, focusing on Nirvana, and salvation in Christianity, emphasizing redemption. It explores how Buddhism and Christianity address the fundamental human quest for spiritual fulfillment. The analysis reveals that Buddhism views Nirvana as the cessation of suffering through the extinction of desires and ignorance, rather than simply a state of bliss. Christianity, on the other hand, presents redemption as a transformative process involving faith, repentance, and spiritual rebirth, rather than solely relying on divine grace. The study highlights that while Buddhism emphasizes personal effort through ethical conduct and meditation, Christianity combines divine grace with personal commitment and adherence to Christ’s teachings. By emphasizing the nuanced interplay of personal effort and spiritual guidance in both traditions, the study provides a more balanced understanding of how each religion addresses the quest for liberation and salvation.

Бенжамен Констан как философ религиозного чувства

The paper deals with Benjamin Constant’s philosophy of religious sentiment. Constant is known primarily as political philosopher defender of Liberalism; at the same time, during his life Constant was interested in religion. The paper follows development of Constant’s views till his Athenaeum Lectures of 1818 and mature opus magnum “On Religion” (5 vols., 1824–1831). Constant’s philosophy of religious sentiment in many traits differs of the similar projects that were elaborated in the German-speaking space. Constant visited Germany for a long time, accordingly, he was acquainted with German-speaking philosophy and theology (Semler, Kant, Schleiermacher and many others); however, it did not shape Constant’s worldview. Rather, Constant used German ideas to answer on his own questions. Hence, Constant’s views are original in some traits. Firstly, unlike German colleagues he does not concentrate on epistemology of religious sentiment, but on the political and ideological aspects of religious feeling. Secondly, Constant opposes the sentiment itself to its forms changing in history as well as illustrates the latter by materials of ethnology and anthropology. Thirdly, this opposition represents the key scheme of phenomenology of religion, that is why Constant influenced not German but Dutch researchers, more precisely C. P. Tiele and G. van der Leeuw. Fourthly, Constant unlike German thinkers due to his explicite liberal views strongly criticizes church institutions. In general, despite of considerable distance between Constant’s and his German collеagues philosophers’ views, Constant is one of the closest to the German philosophy French thinkers. Constant's philosophy of religion is known primarily because of his political fame.

Kirk Lougheed, Motsamai Molefe and Thaddeus Metz, African Philosophy of Religion and Western Monotheism

Kirk Lougheed, Motsamai Molefe and Thaddeus Metz, African Philosophy of Religion and Western Monotheism. London: Cambridge University Press, 2024, pp. 78, £49.99, ISBN 978-1009524933 (hbk).

Exploring the Multiverse: Understanding Its Implications in Philosophy

Although numerous theories supporting the concept of a multiverse have been proposed, observational proof remains elusive. The introduction of a multiverse would fundamentally transform the understanding of humanity's position in the world and the universe. This paper investigates the existence of a multiverse and its ramifications within the domains of philosophy and religion. It challenges conventional notions of knowledge and its interpretation within a scientific framework. While direct observation may never be attainable, compelling factors and existing evidence, such as the fine-tuning problem and inflationary cosmology, strongly indicate the plausibility of such an existence. Consequently, this paper builds upon established scientific theories and examines the reshaping of epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of religion, advocating for novel approaches to defining knowledge and expanding the boundaries of traditional scientific inquiry.

Neither ‘underpinning’ nor ‘overarching’: explicating a critically reciprocal philosophy of religious studies

ABSTRACT One conception of philosophy’s role vis-à-vis religious studies is that of uncovering the ‘conditions of the possibility’ of approaches such as the history, psychology, or sociology of religion. Bernard Lonergan, for example, regarded philosophy of religion as ‘underpinning’ and ‘overarching’ other approaches; hence Jim Kanaris designated Lonergan’s conception of philosophy of religion a ‘philosophy of religious studies’. Without simply rejecting the latter conception, this article explicates an alternative, according to which philosophy of religion has much to learn from other approaches. Indeed, attentiveness to empirical studies is one means of overcoming a fixation on an abstract ‘theism’. Engaging critically though sympathetically with work by Kevin Schilbrack and Timothy Knepper, and expounding the notion of critical description in philosophy of religion, the article makes conceptual space for a critically reciprocal philosophy of religious studies; this downplays the evaluation of ‘religious reason-giving’ while emphasizing self-criticality and reflection upon interdisciplinary methods.