RSG. 201 – Religion and Philosophy
Syllabus
Objectives
The purpose of this course unit is to study some key aspects common to all religions and cetain specific aspects of individual religion with the help of the philosophical tools developed by contemporary philosophy.
Course Contents
Relationship between religion and philosophy, what is philosophical study of religion?, nature of religious experience, religious experience and its relation to knowledge, logical positivists, existentialists, Marxists and post modernist approach to religion, Indian philosophy and spiritualism, mysticism, transcendent, and, science and theology, religion and the modern world.
Recommended Reading:
1. The Creative Imagination Barnes Kenneth C., Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, 1961
2. Reason and Religion; An introduction Edward Rem. B., Harcourt Brace Joranovich Inc.,
to the Philosophy of Religion New York, 1972
3. Philosophy of Religion Galloway George, T & T Clark, Edingburgh, 1945
4.. Varieties of Religious Experience James William, New York
5. Psycho-Analytic Concepts of Religion Tripati S. M., Ajantha Publication, Delhi, 1979
Method of Teaching
Lectures and discussions
Method of Evaluation
End of the academic year written examination
Written Examination 80 marks
Assignment 10 marks
2 Tutorials (5 marks each) 10 marks
Total 100 marks
The purpose of this course unit is to study some key aspects common to all religions and cetain specific aspects of individual religion with the help of the philosophical tools developed by contemporary philosophy.
Course Contents
Relationship between religion and philosophy, what is philosophical study of religion?, nature of religious experience, religious experience and its relation to knowledge, logical positivists, existentialists, Marxists and post modernist approach to religion, Indian philosophy and spiritualism, mysticism, transcendent, and, science and theology, religion and the modern world.
Recommended Reading:
1. The Creative Imagination Barnes Kenneth C., Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, 1961
2. Reason and Religion; An introduction Edward Rem. B., Harcourt Brace Joranovich Inc.,
to the Philosophy of Religion New York, 1972
3. Philosophy of Religion Galloway George, T & T Clark, Edingburgh, 1945
4.. Varieties of Religious Experience James William, New York
5. Psycho-Analytic Concepts of Religion Tripati S. M., Ajantha Publication, Delhi, 1979
Method of Teaching
Lectures and discussions
Method of Evaluation
End of the academic year written examination
Written Examination 80 marks
Assignment 10 marks
2 Tutorials (5 marks each) 10 marks
Total 100 marks
Examination Questions
2007
Explain the significance of the philosophical study of religion to the modern society.
What is the relationship between religion and philosophy?
Examine whether it is possible to explain religious experiences in Natural Language.
What are the fundamental features of metaphysics? Discuss their relation to religion.
Elucidate the arguments presented by logical positivists to reject metaphysics.
Explain the scientific attitude to religion.
Discuss how the Indian Philosophers explain monism as ultimate truth of existence.
Write a critical essay on Religious Mysticism.
Discuss various type of approaches developed by the western philosophers ans theologians on the concept of God.
Write short notes on the following topics:
1. Religion and Epistemology
2. Problem of the transcendence
3. Calvinist School
4. Nature of religious propositions
2006
Describe the relationship between religion and philosophy.
Explain the origin and development of religions.
What are the main religious experiences as found in major religions?
Describe how religion and rituals are connected to each other.
Critically evaluate E. B. Taylor's attitude to animism.
What is philosphical study of religion? Outline its subject matter.
Do you agre with the view that Buddhism is not a religion? Give reasons for your answer.
Write notes on two of the following:
1. Influence of religion on society in renaissance period
2. Basic teachings of Islam
3. Max Weber's theory of religions
4. Shinto Religion
5. Old Testament
2005
Analytically investigate the conceptional relationship between religion and hpilosophy.
Discuss the historic evolution of the subject of the philosophy of religion and its content.
Examine the E. B. Tylor's view on the origins of religion and examine their relevance.
Examine the methods employed in theistic religions to convince the transcendential reality.
Explain on the basis of discourses the Buddhist attitude towareds revealed religions.
„Faith is fundamental in theistic religions.“ Explain this statement in relation to Islam.
Write an account on religious experience and explain the justification of identifying it as the essence of religion.
Explain how the scientific revolution threatened the traditional concepts of Christianity.
2004
Give a short description of the animistic theory of T. B. Tylor.
Explain the relationship between religion and philosophy and introduce what philosophy of religion is.
Explain how the scientific revolution has challenged the traditional Christian thought.
Focusing on the expert's views on religious experience justify the claim that religious experience is the essence of religion.
Examine the position of Buddhism in the context of the discussion of the relationship between religion and science.
Explain the meaning of transcendency of reality as depicted in Islam.
'Faith is the central feature of religion.' Substantiate with examples.
Introduce the arguments used in support of the existence of God.
What are the differences between religion and philosophy?
What is Monism? Explain in function, critically.
Disscuss the various types of approaches developed by western philosophers and theologians on concept of God.
Explain how transcendency of absolute reality is established in theistic religions.
What is the difference between religions and philosophy.
2003
Explain briefly the inter-relationship between religion and philosophy and point out the subject area of philosphy of religion.
„Religious and philosophical concepts were parallely developed.“ Discuss with examples from Vedic literature.
Religious and philosophical views in both West and East developed in an equal manner. Discuss.
Explain briefly what 'religious experience' is and examine the nature of religious experience in Christianity.
With reference to the statement that „Buddhism is beyond religion and science“ point out your opinion and discuss the place of Buddhism in contemporary world.
Explain 'Ontological Argument' of Anselm and its applicability in believing existence of God.
„Absolute reality is transcendence.“ Explain how this concept is applied in explaining God.
Discuss how scientific development has affected religion.
2002
„The highest development of religion is monotheism and with the development of science the place of religion has been possessed by science.“ Comment.
Discuss the subject area of philosophy of religion and similarities and dissimilarities between religion and philosophy.
Comment on scholars' views on evolution of religious concepts.
„Religious experience is the essence of religion.“ Examine.
Explain, what are the techniques used to acknowledge transcendency of absolute reality in theistic religions.
What are the factors that Buddhism and Jainism differ from theistic religions. Examine.
„Islam is the last revelation of God.“ According to this expression explain the history of Islam and how it affected other religions.
I. What do you mean by 'ineffability of absolute truth'.
II. Explain how absolute truth is explained in religion.
Explain the significance of the philosophical study of religion to the modern society.
What is the relationship between religion and philosophy?
Examine whether it is possible to explain religious experiences in Natural Language.
What are the fundamental features of metaphysics? Discuss their relation to religion.
Elucidate the arguments presented by logical positivists to reject metaphysics.
Explain the scientific attitude to religion.
Discuss how the Indian Philosophers explain monism as ultimate truth of existence.
Write a critical essay on Religious Mysticism.
Discuss various type of approaches developed by the western philosophers ans theologians on the concept of God.
Write short notes on the following topics:
1. Religion and Epistemology
2. Problem of the transcendence
3. Calvinist School
4. Nature of religious propositions
2006
Describe the relationship between religion and philosophy.
Explain the origin and development of religions.
What are the main religious experiences as found in major religions?
Describe how religion and rituals are connected to each other.
Critically evaluate E. B. Taylor's attitude to animism.
What is philosphical study of religion? Outline its subject matter.
Do you agre with the view that Buddhism is not a religion? Give reasons for your answer.
Write notes on two of the following:
1. Influence of religion on society in renaissance period
2. Basic teachings of Islam
3. Max Weber's theory of religions
4. Shinto Religion
5. Old Testament
2005
Analytically investigate the conceptional relationship between religion and hpilosophy.
Discuss the historic evolution of the subject of the philosophy of religion and its content.
Examine the E. B. Tylor's view on the origins of religion and examine their relevance.
Examine the methods employed in theistic religions to convince the transcendential reality.
Explain on the basis of discourses the Buddhist attitude towareds revealed religions.
„Faith is fundamental in theistic religions.“ Explain this statement in relation to Islam.
Write an account on religious experience and explain the justification of identifying it as the essence of religion.
Explain how the scientific revolution threatened the traditional concepts of Christianity.
2004
Give a short description of the animistic theory of T. B. Tylor.
Explain the relationship between religion and philosophy and introduce what philosophy of religion is.
Explain how the scientific revolution has challenged the traditional Christian thought.
Focusing on the expert's views on religious experience justify the claim that religious experience is the essence of religion.
Examine the position of Buddhism in the context of the discussion of the relationship between religion and science.
Explain the meaning of transcendency of reality as depicted in Islam.
'Faith is the central feature of religion.' Substantiate with examples.
Introduce the arguments used in support of the existence of God.
What are the differences between religion and philosophy?
What is Monism? Explain in function, critically.
Disscuss the various types of approaches developed by western philosophers and theologians on concept of God.
Explain how transcendency of absolute reality is established in theistic religions.
What is the difference between religions and philosophy.
2003
Explain briefly the inter-relationship between religion and philosophy and point out the subject area of philosphy of religion.
„Religious and philosophical concepts were parallely developed.“ Discuss with examples from Vedic literature.
Religious and philosophical views in both West and East developed in an equal manner. Discuss.
Explain briefly what 'religious experience' is and examine the nature of religious experience in Christianity.
With reference to the statement that „Buddhism is beyond religion and science“ point out your opinion and discuss the place of Buddhism in contemporary world.
Explain 'Ontological Argument' of Anselm and its applicability in believing existence of God.
„Absolute reality is transcendence.“ Explain how this concept is applied in explaining God.
Discuss how scientific development has affected religion.
2002
„The highest development of religion is monotheism and with the development of science the place of religion has been possessed by science.“ Comment.
Discuss the subject area of philosophy of religion and similarities and dissimilarities between religion and philosophy.
Comment on scholars' views on evolution of religious concepts.
„Religious experience is the essence of religion.“ Examine.
Explain, what are the techniques used to acknowledge transcendency of absolute reality in theistic religions.
What are the factors that Buddhism and Jainism differ from theistic religions. Examine.
„Islam is the last revelation of God.“ According to this expression explain the history of Islam and how it affected other religions.
I. What do you mean by 'ineffability of absolute truth'.
II. Explain how absolute truth is explained in religion.
