Philosophy 267: Sections 01 & 02

Fall 2012

Philosophy 267: Sections 01 & 02

Philosophical Approaches to God

Section 01

MWF 2:00pm-2:50pm

Wister 206

Section 02

MWF 3:00pm-3:50pm

Wister 206

Description:

A study of philosophical positions about the existence and nature of God. Themes discussed include various concepts of God; the possibility of proof of the existence of God; and the philosophical dimensions of religious experience.

Overview:

Welcome to Philosophy 267, “Philosophical Approaches to God.”

Some have said that for those who believe in God, no arguments are necessary; and for those who don’t believe, no arguments will work. Or, as Blaise Pascal puts it, “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing”.

But is this true? Does philosophy – the application of reasoned argument to the problems of human existence and meaning – have nothing useful or helpful to say about God or faith or religion or unbelief?

Or can philosophical reflection aid in assessing the reasons for or against belief in God and the various issues that belief in God raises?

This course is designed to help us work through some of those issues, whether you approach the question of God from a standpoint of faith or doubt, agnosticism or skepticism.
General: This course will serve, first of all, as a higher level exercise in the discipline and practice of philosophy. We will attempt to understand how philosophy uniquely approaches issues of religion, theology, and faith. We will gain an overview of various themes from throughout the history of philosophy, from the writings of Plato concerning the divine to contemporary perspectives.
Specific: Our focus will be the philosophical study of religion and faith.

Is there a God?
In what way might we provide reasons for thinking there is a God?
How does language about God function?
Are some events in the world uniquely or especially attributable to divine action?
If there's a good and powerful God, then why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?
How is the notion of God pressed into the service of wrongdoing, power, and injustice?
Can we still have faith in a contemporary world of science, technology, and pluralism?

In examining these issues we will draw upon both classic and contemporary texts, as well as attempt to place these texts within their larger historical and philosophical contexts.

Required Texts:

The following texts are required for this course:

Linda Zagzebski and Timothy D. Miller, eds.

Readings in Philosophy of Religion: Ancient to Contemporary
Edition: 2009
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

ISBN: 978-1-4051-8091-7

Price: $59.95

Timothy Keller

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Edition: 2009 Reprint Edition
Publisher: Riverhead Trade

ISBN: 978-1-59448-349-3

Price: $16.00

The books are available in the Campus Store, though the store often and unfortunately runs short on copies. The Keller book is, however, also available online as an e-text. In addition, there may be supplementary readings that I'll give to you either electronically or as photocopied handouts.

Objectives:

This course is designed to familiarize you with philosophical approaches to God and issues that the discipline of philosophy raises more generally, hopefully in a way that will serve you more widely.
Part of the goal here is academic. In particular, philosophy will challenge you to think critically, to take a second look, and to attempt to uncover hidden assumptions. More generally, philosophy will hone your reading, communication, and writing skills.
Part of the goal is also personal and spiritual. The issues that philosophy raises are important to the meaning of what it is to be human, the place of God and faith in our lives, and how we might fit into and contribute to our religious communities. Thus philosophy will challenge you to think about your own beliefs, your basic commitments, as well as your relationship to others and to God.

Expectations:

This classwill only be a genuine learning experience, by which you are challenged and grow, if you contribute substantially. This requires your attention to several areas:

Attendance: You need to come to class regularly and on time. While I’m more concern about ongoing patterns of attendance, any absence is significant. Therefore, failure to attend or regular lateness will affect your grade negatively. Arrange excused absences beforehand if possible. You are responsible to find out about and make up all missed work.
Participation: I expect everyone to contribute through active class discussion, raising questions, involvement in any group activities, and completion of all assigned readings and coursework.
Readings: I will assign at least 40-50 pages per week of reading, depending upon content and difficulty. It is your responsibility to read carefully and to understand the material to the best of your ability prior to the class in which it will be discussed. I will provide a timetable of readings.
Reading Reflections: At least six times during the semester, your readings will be accompanied by a substantive, assigned reflection. These may focus upon a specific concept, a line of argument, a connection with another reading, or the like. These should be about 2 typed, double-spaced pages. Though they are very short, they should not therefore be seen as "easy." Rather, they will require textual analysis, critical thinking, and integration of concepts, all within a brief space. Being thoughtful, yet concise will be vital.
Structured Conversations: Each of you will be placed on a discussion team, where you will take a particular role, such as giving an opening or closing statement or providing a response. Teams will converse with one another at several junctures during the semester, until everyone has had the opportunity to participate. While your actual conversational contribution will factor into your grade, the materials you prepare for the conversation will determine your grade. I will provide more information on the conversation format.All materials and/or notes you create to prepare for your role should be turned in at the time of any conversation.
Mid-Term Exam: I will conduct a mid-term examination through an in-person interview. I will distribute exam questions ahead of time and ask you to prepare answers to several questions. At the time of the interview, I'll ask you which questions you choose to address and then interview you concerning those questions. You may bring a single, one-sided page of notes to refer to. You will turn in this page, along with any other preparation materials, at the end of the interview.
Paper proposal and Outline: In final third of the semester you will begin work toward a final paper, beginning with an abstract or paper proposal and outline for the paper.
Final Paper: You will turn in a final paper as the product of your proposal and outline. This paper should be about 6-7 pages in length. The focus will be to explore some theme in relation to the texts we've be reading, developing your own ideas about that theme, and relating the theme to our lives and your experiences.

All written assignments will be evaluated using the following rubric:

Excellent
4.0 / Good
3.0 / Adequate
2.0 / Poor
1.0
Evidence of careful reading (25%):
Writing shows relevant texts were read carefully & accurately. Attention given to authors' arguments & intentions, emphases & conclusions. Specific evidence drawn from the text to support claims about the text.
Careful & clear use of concepts (25%):
Philosophical concepts & examples handled in a careful manner that clearly communicates their content, purpose, & relevance to textual themes.
Critique, synthesis, & insight (25%)
Claims about text are reasonable & have relevant support. Significant connections drawn within & among texts. Texts are not simply summarized, but genuine insight into texts is demonstrated.
Self-expression & originality (25%):
Writing is well-organized: clear focus, logical order, & smooth flow of ideas. Vague, ambiguous, overly informal language is avoided. Writing is free of grammar & spelling errors. Shows creative & original thought.

I am available in my office during office hours and by appointment. I am always more than happy to talk to you about any aspect of your experience here at La Salle and in connection with this class. I will readily discuss readings, talk about your progress, review prior assignments, go over drafts, discuss assignment topics, etc. If you make use of this opportunity, it will benefit us both greatly.
You must complete all assigned work on time. I will receive late work at a reduced grade. Nevertheless, it is always better turned in late than never.
Plagiarism is unacceptable.You must document all information, paraphrases, and quotations from sources using some accepted system of citation (MLA, APA, etc.), whether that source is in print or online. Failure to do so will result in at least a zero for that assignment and possibly failing the course. Plagiarism on the final paper will result in the failing the course. Please review La Salle'sAcademic Integrity Policyfor further details.
Please note:I will accept written work in the form of ahard copyonly - no electronic submissions. If, for some reason you need to miss class and want to turn in an assignment electronically in order for it to be counted as "on time," that is acceptable, but youmustfollow up with submitting a hard copy as soon as possible thereafter or you will not receive credit for the assignment. Thanks for your cooperation with this.

Grading:

The following is a breakdown of how I will weigh your various grades:

Participation/Attendance
Reading Reflections
Conversation & Related Materials
Mid-Term Exam Interview & Notes
Final Proposal & Paper / 10%
30%
15%
20%
25%