Philosophy of Religion

Is there a God or divine entity? If so, what can we know or experience about it, how should we act in relation to it, and why is there so much suffering in the world? This course will introduce you to global philosophy of religion, the study of religious claims with the methods of analytic philosophy. It will also feature reflection on the role of religious arguments and experience in our own lives. This course will evaluate arguments from Buddhist (classical, Tibetan, and Zen), ancient Chinese, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, American Indian, and atheist perspectives. Thematic units will address the existence of a divine entity, problems of evil, religious experience, and religious ethics.