Philosophy of Religion - 2nd semester
Code
711031069
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Filosofia
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Nuno Carlos Venturinha
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Develop a critical understanding of the religious and philosophical traditions which are central in the contemporary world.
b) Develop skills of critical thinking in order to evaluate arguments and views.
c) Develop the capacity to relate present events to philosophical and religious systems.
d) Develop the capacity to apply perspectives from different religious and cultural groups to critical analysis.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Subject matter
Epistemology of Religious Belief
Wittgensteins thought is usually associated with investigations in the fields of logic, epistemology or philosophy of mind. However, there are many places in his writings where Wittgenstein discusses issues belonging to the philosophy of religion and provides new insights into sacred texts and religious life. We analyze first the attention that the author gives to religious matters in the so-called Tractarian corpus. We then explore how the later Wittgenstein deals with New Testament theology in various remarks and in lectures on religious belief. The aim is to try to understand to what extent Wittgenstein´s religious epistemology offers an alternative to fideist and intellectualist conceptions. The rejection of historical proofs that Wittgenstein proposes is compared in the final stage of the course with John Henry Newmans thought in his Grammar of Assent.
Bibliography
Newman, J. H. (1985). An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent. Oxford: Oxford University Press; (2005). Ensaio a favor de uma Gramática do Assentimento. Lisboa: Assírio & Alvim.
Wittgenstein, L. (1966). Lectures and Conversations on Aesthetics, Psychology and Religious Belief. Oxford: Basil Blackwell; (1991). Aulas e Conversas sobre Estética, Psicologia e Fé Religiosa. Lisboa: Cotovia.
Wittgenstein, L. (1979). Tagebücher 1914-1916 / Notebooks 1914-1916 (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell; (2004). Cadernos 1914-1916. Lisboa: Edições 70.
Wittgenstein, L. (1997). Denkbewegungen: Tagebücher 1930-1932, 1936-1937 (MS 183), vol. 1. Innsbruck: Haymon; (2003). Movements of Thought: Diaries, 1930-1932, 1936-1937. In Public and Private Occasions (pp. 3-255). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Wittgenstein, L. (1998). Vermischte Bemerkungen: Eine Auswahl aus dem Nachlass / Culture and Value: A Selection from the Posthumous Remains (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell; (1996). Cultura e Valor. Lisboa: Edições 70.
Teaching method
The method adopted for the class combines exposition of the readings and commentaries on them along with discussion of student papers.
In class teaching
Evaluation method
Besides a final exam (60%), each student is required to write a paper to be presented and discussed in class (40%).