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Philosophy of Religion
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Non-overlapping Magisteria (NOMA)
A view advocated by Stephen Jay Gould where science and religion are seen as separate domains of inquiry that do not intersect. Philosophically significant in discussions on the compatibility of science and religion, and the demarcation problem.
Theodicy
Justification of God's goodness despite the existence of evil. Philosophically significant as it attempts to reconcile the problem of evil with an omnibenevolent God, often invoking free will, soul-making, or divine mystery as explanations.
Transcendence and Immanence
The distinction between God's transcendence, being above and independent from the material universe, and God's immanence, being present and active within creation. Significant in various theological and philosophical discourses about God's nature and relationship with the world.
Ontological Argument
A priori argument for the existence of God. Asserts that the concept of a maximally great being necessarily includes existence. Philosophically significant as it challenges the notion of existence being a predicate and brings forth debates on necessity and possibility.
Problem of Evil
The challenge of reconciling the existence of evil with an omnibenevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God. It is philosophically significant in discussions of theodicy, free will, and the nature of good and evil.
Moral Argument
This argument suggests that if God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist. It is significant as it debates the grounding for morality and the implications for atheistic ethical systems.
Miracles
Events that appear to defy natural laws, attributed to divine intervention. Philosophical discussions revolve around their possibility, epistemic evidence, and the implications for religious belief.
Plantinga's Free Will Defense
Alvin Plantinga's argument that free will is incompatible with the prevention of evil by God, justifying the existence of evil in a world created by an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God. It is significant as a modern response to the logical problem of evil.
Process Theology
An approach to theology that posits God is not omnipotent in the classical sense and is affected by temporal processes. Philosophically significant in redefining traditional divine attributes and addressing issues of free will, evil, and the dynamic nature of existence.
Cosmological Argument
An a posteriori argument that infers the existence of a first cause or unmoved mover for the universe. Philosophically significant as it deals with the nature of causality and the possibility of infinite regress.
Analogia Entis
The analogy of being, which posits a similarity between the creation and the creator, allowing for knowledge of God through analogy. Significant as it provides a basis for speaking meaningfully about God while acknowledging human linguistic limitations.
Dualism
The belief that reality consists of two fundamental, opposed substances or principles (often mind and matter, or God and evil). Philosophically significant as it informs cosmology and anthropology in various religious contexts, especially in understanding good and evil.
Kant's Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone
Kant's work which argues that religion should be grounded in reason and that the moral law within individuals points to a Supreme Being. Philosophically significant as it challenges traditional metaphysics of religion and the dependence on supernatural revelation.
Eternalism vs Presentism
Debate on the nature of time in relation to the existence of God. Eternalism posits that past, present, and future events are equally real, while Presentism holds that only present events are real. Philosophically significant in theology and metaphysics of time.
Hick's Soul-Making Theodicy
John Hick's argument that God allows evil to develop souls toward moral perfection. Philosophically significant as it reframes the problem of evil as necessary for character development and ultimate union with the divine.
Free Will and Omniscience
The compatibility of God's omniscience with human free will. This includes debates on predestination versus libertarian free will. Philosophically significant as it pertains to theological determinism and theodicy.
Teleological Argument
An argument for God's existence based on observed order and purpose in the universe. Its significance lies in the discussion of design and natural law, and the difference between apparent and genuine teleology.
Divine Command Theory
The view that morality is somehow dependent upon God, and that moral obligation consists in obedience to God's commands. It raises philosophical questions about the nature of morality, metaethics, and the Euthyphro dilemma.
Religious Language
The study of how terms and phrases are used in religious discourse. Philosophical significance lies in understanding how language conveys metaphysical and theological truths, and the debates over symbolic vs. literal interpretations.
Religious Pluralism
The recognition and acceptance of multiple religious paths as potentially valid. Philosophically significant in its challenges to exclusivist theological claims and the epistemology behind interpreting religious experience.
Pascal's Wager
An argument that posits that humans bet with their lives that God either exists or does not. Philosophically significant in discussions on faith, risk, and pragmatic justification for belief in God.
Apophatic Theology
Theological approach arguing that God can only be described in terms of what cannot be said about Him, emphasizing mystery and ineffability. Philosophically significant as it impacts methods of theological discourse and pluralistic views of the divine.
Pantheism
The belief that the universe (or nature) and God are identical. Raises philosophical discussions about the nature of divinity, the sacredness of the natural world, and the distinctions between God and the universe in religious thought.
Faith vs Reason
The debate on the roles of faith and reason in understanding truth, especially divine truth. Raises questions about the epistemology of religious belief and the justification of religious faith over rational evidence.
Eschatology
A branch of theology concerned with the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. It is philosophically significant as it influences ethical views, the meaning of life, and perspectives on the temporal versus eternal.
Soteriology
The study of religious doctrines of salvation. Philosophically significant as it deals with the nature of salvation and its achievability, varying dramatically between different religious traditions and raising questions about the human condition.
Pneumatology
The study of the Holy Spirit or spiritual beings within various religious traditions, examining their nature, role, and relation to the divine and human worlds. It contributes to philosophical discussions on the nature of divine agents and interaction with humanity.
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