As the philosopher Louis Pojman states in his introduction to Part III of his Anthology, Philosophy of Religion, the question of god’s existence is one of the deepest and most significant philosophical quesWrite a Philosophy of Religion.ions humans face: “It is the ultimate metaphysical issue, for if there is such a being, then it is of paramount importance that we come to know that fact and as much as possible about God and his or her plan” (Pojman, 175). Indeed, how one examines and formulates a position/standpoint concerning this metaphysical question has profound implications regarding how one lives their lives, thereby orienting and prioritizing their values. As Pojman states:
“If God exists, the world is not accidental, a product of mere chance and necessity, but a home that has been designed for rational and sentient beings, a place of personal and purposefulness. If there is a God, we ought to do everything possible to discover this fact, including using reason to make the discovery itself or to test its validity.
On the other hand, perhaps a supreme, benevolent being does not exist. Karl Marx may be right: religion may be just a human invention, the ‘opium of the people.’ But if there is no God, we want to know this, too. Whether or not we believe in God makes a difference in the way we view the universe and the in the way we live.” (Pojman, 176).
In light of Pojman’s reflections regarding the gravity of this question – Does God exist? – where do you find yourself coming down in response to such, specifically in light of the selection of course readings concerning Philosophy of Religion? As you formulate your response to this question, be sure to treat and include an analysis of the following issues:
(1) Traditional Arguments for the Existence of God (the Causal Argument and the Design Arguments).
(2) The Problem of Evil
(3) The interface between Faith and religion.
Herein, essays should include at least 5 different sources from the anthology; there is no need to incorporate outside sources (readings/internet sources), in fact, I discourage your from doing such. Essays will be evaluated according to: (a) one’s ability to directly respond to the prompt by appealing to the course readings; (b) one’s ability to provide a cogent analysis and appropriate reflection concerning prompts 1-3; and (c) one’s ability to write clearly vis-`a-vis appropriate grammar and academic formatting (e.g. MLA, APA or Chicago Manual). While I encourage students to discuss, amongst each other, how they intend to respond to the essay prompt, this is not a group assignment, and so students are expected to craft their essays independently. Finally, as a professor of philosophy I have always found this metaphysical question to be truly fascinating and existentially significant. Thus, I encourage you to take your time in thinking through this essay assignment with an open and relaxed mind. Indeed, there are few opportunities in our busy lives to think critically and systematically upon this question, specifically through an organized dialogue with some of the brightest minds in Western Civilization’s history. I hope you all view this assignment as an opportunity to clarify what you believe, and in the process of providing justification for such, have fun encountering some of the most important arguments in Western Philosophy.
