Philosophy 3011: Philosophy of Religion

Well-mannered folks regularly refrain from discussing religion over dinner. The reason is plain: on one hand we may disagree vehemently about the topic. On the other hand, we consider religion of the utmost importance. Given these facts, discussions about religion can raise our blood pressure which is bad for digestion. Yet, given the importance of religion, the subject demands our attention. We must think about it carefully and determine whether we have good reason to believe that God exists. In this class we will examine arguments for and against the existence of God. In doing so we will also explore questions such as: what is the nature of God? Are divine foreknowledge and omnipotence consistent with human freedom? How do we evaluate testimony regarding religious matters? Do reason and logic apply in the domain of religious belief?

My goal is not to establish any particular answer to any of these questions. While I might have opinions about any or all of these topics, I certainly don’t take myself to know the answers to these questions. Instead of attempting to provide definite answers to these (or any surrounding) questions, we explore the arguments and see where they take us. We should think carefully about religion; my goal is to provide you the skills necessary to do so.