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Philosophy 2200 Spring, 2016 Class #2

Philosophy 2200 Spring, 2016 Class #2. Title: Introduction to Comparative Religion Instructor: Paul Dickey E-mail Address: pdickey2@mccneb.edu Class Website: www.quia.com Create your own userid & password. Guest Speaker on Thursday: Rabbi Steven Abraham from Beth El Synagogue.

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Philosophy 2200 Spring, 2016 Class #2

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  1. Philosophy 2200 Spring, 2016 Class #2 Title: Introduction to Comparative Religion Instructor: Paul Dickey E-mail Address: pdickey2@mccneb.edu Class Website: www.quia.com Create your own userid & password. Guest Speaker on Thursday: Rabbi Steven Abraham from Beth El Synagogue

  2. Class will visit the Zen Buddhist temple on April 14th as guests of the Rev. Nonin Chowaney. Nebraska Zen Center3625 Lafayette Ave.Omaha, NE 68131

  3. Philosophy 2200 Introduction to Comparative Religion For Thursday: • Make absolutely sure you have completed your reading of Chapter 8 in preparation for guest speaker, Rabbi Abraham. • Prepare two sincere, respectful, and honest questions for the Rabbi based on your reading.

  4. Reflective Essays Judaism is due on 3/24. Presentations on 3/29. Christianity is due on 4/5 . Presentations on 4/5. Islam is due on 4/19. Presentations on 4/19. Buddhism is due on 4/26. Presentations on 4/26. Hinduism is due on 5/7. Presentations on 5/7. Indigenous Religions is due on 5/12. Presentations on 5/12. Please email me ASAP with your two preferences on which world view you would like to do your presentation. I will try to assign everyone their first preference, if possible. However, we will have to cover all equally, so please understand if you don’t get your choice.

  5. Does God Exist? • Theism is the belief in a personal God who is creator of the world and present in its processes and who is actively engaged in the affairs of humans. • Pantheism is the belief that God is the universe and its phenomena (taken or conceived of as a whole). God exists but is not personally involved in the lives of men. • Atheism is the denial of Theism. It states that there is no God. • Agnosticism is the view that it cannot be known whether God exists or not. • According to Logical Positivism, the question Does God Exist? is meaningless.

  6. Can Philosophy Help?We'll try to see how a philosophical treatment can aid us in this endeavor that cannot be avoided. How well do our ideas hold up to scrutiny? Are they based on sound assumptions, or could we think otherwise? Are we applying them correctly, or as best we could? Perhaps most importantly, are there alternatives we have not yet considered? The guidelines of critical thinking and logic are the rules of the road in philosophy.

  7. Why Study Religion? Everyone likely has pondered whether a divine being exists and/or whether there is “something more to life” than “this” (in some sense). William James defines the Religious hypothesis as the belief that the best things are the eternal things, and that we will be better off right now if we practice that in our lives. We might define the religious option as “either believe the religious hypothesis or don’t believe the religious hypothesis.” James argued that “a momentous option is an irrevocable option for significant stakes” For many of us, the religions option is momentous.

  8. What is Religion? • Professor Ninian Smart argues that religion is typically (though not necessarily always) composed of six dimensions: • Doctrine (or Creed) • Personal Experience with God • Myth • Ritual • Morality, and • Organization • Do you agree? Would you take any out? Did she leave anything out? Would you include something else?

  9. What about our emotions? Our feelings? Do they help us to have insight? Or do they just get in the way?Traditionally, philosophical inquiry often suggests we check our feelings at the door, reminding us that our feelings do not help us to confirm that something is true. That can only be done by evidence or proof, it is often said. Can “how I ‘feel’ about it” really be relevant to the question whether God exists or what, if any, religion is the “true way?” What do you think?

  10. How do we Study Religions Comparatively? 1) First, we must understand the concept of Worldviews

  11. How do we Study Religions Comparatively? 2) Then we must appreciate the diversity of worldviews

  12. In this class, how will we respond to different worldviews? • Try to work through areas of agreement in worldview. Find common ground. • Be humble. Recognize that 1) at some point all of us may make logical mistakes in our reasoning and 2) but what may at first appear to be a “mistake” actually shows that they understand something we don’t yet. • Be aware when your (or others) core human and personal interests are at stake. • Make every effort to understand why someone might disagree with your worldview. • Understand that deciding one or another worldview has to be either “right or wrong” may be a premature assumption and/or beside the point.

  13. How do we Study Religions Comparatively? 3) And only then can we begin to describe and appreciate the wide dimensions of religions experience.

  14. Judaism: The Promised Land (Video: 25 minutes)

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