Philosophy of religion developed within Modern-Age thought between the 17th and the 18th centuries, as a reaction to the religious wars in Europe. It acquired the status of academic teaching in the Age of Enlightenment and German Idealism. Nevertheless, its object (a reflection on religion that moves from speculative assumptions) was already studied by Greek philosophy, which developed a rational criticism (based on logos) and applied it to mythical discourse since the Age of Pre-Socratic philosophers.
Students will learn to define, through a phenomenological and transcendental method, the peculiar nature and structure of the religious experience, independent and different from other domains of the spirit (ethic, aesthetic, metaphysic domain). Students will learn to explain how the independent status of religion is the result of a long, analytical work, and the result of a speculative process which started at the beginning of Modern Age; the outcome of this process is philosophy of religion becoming a unique field of knowledge.
Developing critical thinking towards the religious experience, moving from speculative assumptions, and showing its universal, ecumenic nature.
Lectures on Microsoft Teams
Contents for students who are taking the 6-CFU course
Existentialism, nihilism, religion. From Karl Jaspers and Gabriel Marcel
The first module aims to investigate the religious nature of the philosophies of the existence of Jaspers and Marcel as well as contemporary nihilism, dominated, even in the face of the abyss of Nothing, by an indelible as aporetic question of meaning and Transcendence.
Contents for students who are taking the 9-CFU course
Part I: Existentialism, nihilism, religion. From Karl Jaspers and Gabriel Marcel
Part II: Analysis of two classic texts of existentialism
In the second module is focused on two books by Jaspers and Marcel, in order to verify the theses sustained in the first module on the textual and hermeneutic level.
The reading list for this course, together with the lecturer's suggestions and instructions are available on the Italian version of the web page.
Ricevimento: Thursday 3-4 PM (DAFIST, Philosophy Section via Balbi 4, 2nd floor)
ROBERTO CELADA BALLANTI (President)
FRANCESCO CAMERA
GERARDO CUNICO (Substitute)
September 29, 2020
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Oral exam
The exam will take place in oral form, through a dialogue aimed at verify the contents discussed during the course. The expositive ability and the critical reasoning of the student will also be ascertained.
Attendance is reccomended
