Syllabus

This course will survey the main topics in contemporary, analytic philosophy of religion. We will begin with arguments that attempt to prove the existence of God and then consider the attempts to disprove the existence of God through the so called “problem of evil.” We will consider the debates regarding the attributes of God and then turn to various philosophical problems that arise in revealed religions involving God’s relation to creation, such as whether there are miracles, immortality and resurrection, and how we can know God. The final sections of the course will look at contemporary challenges to revealed religions, including evolution, the existence of a competing belief systems, and the possibility of secular ethics. Although we will cover a lot of material, the course cannot consider all points of view. The goal is to deepen your understanding of some key philosophical debates within religious traditions based on revelation.

Participation: All students are expected to do the assigned reading before class, to attend regularly, and to make every effort to participate in class discussion. Please note that while students are encouraged to argue and disagree with each other and the instructor, they are expected to treat the views of others in the class with respect. Participation will count for 10% of your final grade.

Mid-Term Exam: There will be an in-class, mid-term exam on Friday, February 4^th in our classroom (MEB 251). This will be a closed book exam. All material from the assigned readings as well as class lectures will be the subject of the exam. No make-up exams will be given except in documented cases of illness or death of a family member. Please bring a blue book. This exam will count for 30% of your final grade.

Final Exam: There will be a final exam on Tuesday, March 15^th at 2:30-4:20pm in our classroom (MEB 251). This will be a closed book exam. All material from the assigned readings as well as class lectures will be the subject of the exam. No make-up exams will be given except in documented cases of illness or death of a family member. Please bring a blue book. This exam will count for 30% of your final grade.

Paper: Undergraduate students are required to write one, 4-6 page paper on one of the topics we have covered in our readings. Graduate students are expected to write a longer paper, 10-12 pages in length. The paper must, at minimum, present and critically discuss one or more arguments on the chosen topic. A good paper will have a thesis, which is explained and defended at length against the strongest objections possible. About two weeks before the paper is due I will hand out a set of questions from which you will choose your paper topic.

For undergraduates the paper will be due at one of three times in the quarter. One third of the class will be assigned to each due date on the basis of a lottery done during the first week of the quarter. If you are assigned to Group 1, your paper will be due at the beginning of class on Friday, January 28^th. If you are assigned to Group 2, your paper will be due at the beginning of class on Friday, February 18^th. If you are assigned to Group 3, your paper will be due at the beginning of class on Friday, March 11^th. You cannot turn in your paper later than the due date for your group, but you can always turn in a paper earlier. For graduate students the paper is due on Friday, March 11^th at the beginning of class.

After the beginning of class on the due date the paper will be considered late and one half point (0.5) will be deducted from the grade (e.g., from 3.2 to 2.7) for each 24 hour period it is late after that time. However, please note that the paper can be turned in at any time prior to the deadline. The paper will count for 30% of your final grade.

Nota Bene: (1) Cheating in any form (including plagiarism, of course) will result in automatic referal to the Dean’s office. You are assumed to understand the university rules concerning inappropriate academic conduct. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor.

(2) In order to pass this course students are required to complete satisfactorily all four components of this course. For example, a student who completes the exams and paper but who does not participate in class will not pass the course. A student who participates, completes the exams, but who does not do the paper, will not pass the course, etc. Absolutely no exceptions will be made to the policy.

The following book is required and is available for purchase at the University Bookstore:

All page numbers refer to the required text. Please note that that the instructor reserves the right to make changes to this schedule as he sees fit.

Week 1: Arguments for the Existence of God

1/3 M Introduction

1/5 W Cosmological Argument (2-47)

1/7 F Teleological Argument (48-68)

Week 2: More Arguments for the Existence of God

1/10 M Ontological Argument (69-86)

1/12 W Argument from Religious Experience (87-136)

1/14 F Evil and Theodicy (137-151, 186-192)

Week 3: The Problem of Evil

1/17 M MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY – NO CLASS

1/19 W Evil and Soul-Making (152-159)

1/21 F The Free Will Defense (167-185)

Week 4: The Attributes of God

1/24 M Time and Eternity (207-230)

1/26 W God’s Omniscience and Human Freedom (231-259)

1/28 F God’s Omnipotence (250-256) [GROUP 1 PAPERS DUE]

Week 5: Miracles and Revelation

1/31 M Against Miracles (261-268, 276-282)

2/2 W For Miracles (269-275, 283-302)

2/4 F MID-TERM EXAM

Week 6: Death and Immortality

2/7 M Immorality: For and Against (310-316)

2/9 W Resurrection and Reincarnation (317-336)

2/11 F Challenges to Faith (337-358)

Week 7: Faith and Reason

2/14 M Pragmatic Justification of Religious Belief (359-376)

2/16 W Fideism (377-403)

2/18 F Rationality and Justified Religious Belief (404-446)

[GROUP 2 PAPERS DUE]

Week 8: Science, Religion, and Evolution

2/21 M PRESIDENTS’ DAY – NO CLASS

2/23 W Evolution and Creation, Part 1 (447-474)

2/25 F Evolution and Creation, Part 2 (475-496)

Week 9: Religious Pluralism

2/28 M Pluralism (497-506)

3/2 W Exclusivism (507-527)

3/4 F Pluralism and Other Faiths (528-546)

Week 10: Religion and Ethics

3/7 M Does Morality depend on Religion? (547-568)

3/9 W Is Secular Morality Enough? (569-577)

3/11 F General Discussion [GROUP 3 PAPERS DUE]

Final Exam Week

3/15 Tuesday 2:30-4:20pm (MEB 251) – FINAL EXAM