PHIL 180RGod, Good, Evil, and Hope

Catalog

This course will examine religious beliefs as well as experiences, attitudes, and practices that characterize forms of religious life. Part of the term is devoted to analyzing traditional arguments for and against the existence of God, especially the problem of evil and various possible responses. Of course, the truth of religious belief is only one dimension along which we can approach faith; more practical and non-cognitive approaches are also available to consider. We also discuss the other so-called "theological virtues" of hope and love, alongside practices like worship, prayer, and forgiveness. Although these may seem admirable to some, they have struck others as puzzling, perhaps even objectionable. The questions we take up will include the following: Is there something problematic about worshipping another being? What would be the point of praying to an all-knowing God? Why is forgiveness prominent in religious contexts, and what does it look like to love your neighbor versus your enemy? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions, which turn on differing conception of God and religion. Thus, an important goal of the course is comparative: to understand how different traditions arrive at importantly different answers to the questions above.