A TYBA in Philosophy of Religion Paper V 1_1 Syllabus Mumbai University

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TYBA Paper 5 : Semester V
Paper Title : Philosophy of Religion
Credits: 4
Code: UAPHI502
No. of Lectures: 60
Unit 1 : Introduction to Philosophy of Religion (15 lects)
What is Philosophy of Religion and how it is different from Theology and Comparative
Religion?
Relation between the God and the World Deism, Pantheism and Theism (with Critique) .
Attributes of God: omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence , benevolence and personal.
Unit 2 Theories of existence of God (15 lects)
Ontological Argument (Ans elm’s version , Descartes ’ version and Kant ’s critique )
Causal/ Cosmological Argument (Aquinas ’ argument , Leibniz ’s argument and Hume ’s
critique )
Teleo logical (Aquinas and William Paley’s view; and Hume’s critique ) and Moral Argument
for Existence of God (Kant)
Unit 3: Mysticism (15 lects)
Characteristics of Mysticism: Ranade and Underhill
Mystic: Rumi and St Avila
William James’ analysis of Mystical experiences
Unit 4 : Problem of Religious Language (15 lects)
Analogical function of religious language (Thomas Aquinas ’ view )
Symbolic function of religious language (Paul Tillich ’s view )
Non Cognitive Theories: J. R. Randall (Jr.) – Religious language as functional (cultural,
artistic, social and religious) and symbolic; R. B. Braithwaite – Religious language from
Linguistic perspective (emotive, ethical and prescriptive)


Books recommended for the course
Stephen Davis. God, Reason and Theistic Proofs (Edinburgh University Press, 1997)
Anthony C. Thiselton. The Concise Encyclopaedia of the Philosophy of Religion (One World
Publications, 2006).
S. P. Kanal. The Philosophy of Religion (Lotus Publishers, 1984).
D. Miall Edwards. The Philosophy of Religion (Progressive Publishers, 1963).
Steven Katz. Mysticism and Religious Tradition (Oxford University Press, 1983).
George Galloway. Philosophy of Religion (T & T Clark Edinburgh, 1960).
John Hick. Philosophy of Religion 4th Edition (Prentice Hall of India, N ew Delhi).
Geddes McGregor. Introduction to Religious Philosophy (MacMillan & Co. Ltd.)
Material for Rumi, St Avila and Underhill to be added

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TYBA Paper 5 : Semester VI
Paper Title : Philosophy of Religion
Credits: 4
Code: UAPHI602
No. of Lectures: 60
Unit I: Existential approach to Religion (15 lects)
Theistic and Atheistic E xistential Approach to Religion: Soren Kierkegaard (three stages of
existence: aesthetics, ethical and religious) , Karl Jaspers: The Dialogical Possibilities of
Existenz with Existenz Communication , Frederich Nietzsche (critique of slave morality in
favour of transvaluation of values) and Sartre on Religion
Unit II : Immortality (15 lects)
Plato (the arguments contained in the dialogue Phaedo )
The concept of Resurrection and philosophical problems associated with it
Transmigration: Karma and Rebirth (Vedantic View) ,
Kantian and Charvaka Critique of Immortality
Unit III Question of Evil (15 lects)
Problem of evil : Hume’s Account , Leibniz: Best of the possible worlds
St. Augustine’s account of the problem and solution
Sankaracharya’s view on evil
Unit IV : Challenges to Religion (15 lects)
The Marxist Challenge : Karl Marx ,
The Freudian Challenge : Sigmund Freud ,
The Humanist Challenge : M.N. Roy ; Feminist Challenge to Religion


Books recommended for the course
William L. Rowe and Wainwright. Philosophy of R eligion (selected readings) 3rd edition
Harcourt Brace college publishers.
Peterson and Vanarragon (ed.) Contemporary debates in philosophy of Religion , Blackwell
publishing.
Peterson, Hasker, Rwichenbach, Basinger. Philosophy of R eligion . 2nd Edition, Oxford
University Press.
John Hick. Philosophy of Religion , 4h Edition Prentice -Hall off India Pvt Ltd New Delhi
Geddes Macgregor. Introduction Of Religious Philosophy , Macmillan Co Ltd St. Martin’s
Press
Brightman E.S. Philosophy of Religion , Skeffington and Son Ltd
Bankey Behari. Sufis, Mystics and Yogis of India ( Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan)
Titus, Smith, Nolan. Living Issues in Philosophy , (D.VanNostrand Co.)
Bronstein and Schulweis. Approaches to the Philosophy of Religion (Prentice Hall, INC.)
William J Wainwright. The Philosophy of Religion (Wardsworth INC Thomson Publishing
Co.)
Yakub Masih. Philosophy of Religion .
Max Charlesworth. Philosophy and Religion – From Plato to Postmodernism (Oneworld
Publications, Oxford, 2006).
Benjamin R. Tilghman. Introduction to Religious Philosophy (Blackwell, 199 4).
Blackwell, Companion to Philosophy of Religion….Chapter of feministic approach to
religion

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