Exploring the Philosophy of Religion - Softcover

Stewart, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130195197 ISBN 13: 9780130195197

Publisher: Routledge, 2001

Synopsis

This introduction to the philosophy of religion helps readers understand the primary sources that are essential for genuine philosophical understanding. Its careful selection of important classical and contemporary readings, along with a clear, understandable analysis and discussion of the topics, helps build a basic vocabulary of philosophical and religious terms while becoming fluent in the main philosophical issues in religion. Chapter topics include the varieties of religious experience, religion and life, religion and human destiny, argument's for God's existence, the problem of evil, and religious language. This book presents an appealing mixture of classical and contemporary authors from Descartes, Paley and Kierkegaard to Otto, James, and Buber to such current writers as Wendy Doniger, Mary Daly, and David Ray Griffin. For philosophers or anyone who likes to philosophize about important religious questions and their relation to life.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Exploring the Philosophy of Religion organizes 28 readings around 7 major themes, beginning with religious experience then transitioning to the relationship of religion to life, to human destiny, and then to the thorny issues of arguments for God's existence and the problem of evil. The concluding two sections analyze the relationship between faith and reason, and the nature of religious language.

The text offers a rich, yet approachable, introduction to philosophy of religion for the beginning student that is distinguished by the following special features:

• Introductions that help prepare students for meaningful discussion of the readings
• Appealing mixture of classical and contemporary authors from Plato, Descartes, Kant, Paley, and Kierkegaard to contemporary thinkers such as John Hick, Richard Taylor, David Ray Griffin, and Paul Ricoeur.
• Consideration of issues from both Western and Eastern perspectives
• Discussion of process thought, often omitted from introductory texts

New to this edition are readings on religious pluralism by John Hick, a compelling analysis of God's female nature by Rosemary Ruether, and such classic readings as Paul Tillich on faith as ultimate concern, Kant's moral argument for God's existence, John Stuart Mill's analysis of the limits of natural theology, and the contrast in ancient Greek thought between Plato and Epicurus on death and human destiny and its difference from the early Christian view.

The book couples clear and understandable analysis with important primary-source readings on topics that have a permanent place in the philosophy of religion.

Also of Interest

Fundamentals of Philosophy, 5th edition by David Stewart and H. Gene Blocker
An accessible reader/text for beginning students of philosophy that offers a broad scope and diversity of classic and contemporary selections with introductions that present difficult issues in an understandable manner.

About the Author:

David Stewart received the Ph.D. from Rice University and has over thirty years experience teaching philosophy at Rice University, North Texas State University and Ohio University. In addition to Exploring the Philosophy of Religion, He is also co-author of Fundamentals of Philosophy (7th edition, Prentice Hall, 2010).

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0130195197
• ISBN 13: 9780130195197
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 368