Professor

William Sweet

St Thomas University
Fredericton, Canada

Meaning, Proof,

and Religious Belief

30 hour-course,

1 hour credit, 2 ECTS points

May 12-22, 2009

room 107 

 

Summary

These lectures will examine key positions in the philosophical debate on the meaning and truth of religious belief and on the rationality of believing. The focus will be on the the evidentialist and foundationalist approaches to religion and religious belief in Anglo-American philosophy. After a brief review of pre-Lockean, Lockean and Humean approaches, and a discussion of 19th century challenges, we will discuss the work of some major contemporary figures in the epistemology of religion (e.g., Flew, Alston, Plantinga, and Hart). This will lead to recasting some elements of the current debate on the topic.

 

Useful Readings

• Peter Forrest, "The Epistemology of Religion", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
• Robert Audi and William J. Wainwright (ed.), Rationality, Religious Belief, and Moral Commitment (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1983).
• Douglas R. Geivett and Brendan Sweetman (ed.), Contemporary Perspectives on Religious Epistemology, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), Parts II, III, VI.
• Nancy Frankenberry and Hans Penner (eds.), Language, Truth, and Religious Belief (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1999).
• William Sweet, "Epistemologie postmodernistyczne a racjonalność przekonań religijnych" (Post-Modern Epistemologies and the Rationality of Religious Belief), in Roczniki Filozoficzne, Vol. 42 (1994): 69-89..

 

Questions should be directed to

• dr Agnieszka-Lekka-Kowalik (alekka@kul.pl)
• or mgr Marcin Koszowy (koszowy@kul.pl)