varieties of religious beliefs and controversy

PHILOSOPHY 1001

THE QUESTION OF GOD AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES
PPT 8
*

*

QUESTION OF GOD
Does the question of God belong in the study of Philosophy?
Philosophy can be viewed as an objective/scientific approach to the great questions of life
But, religious beliefs are a critical part of many cultures
Philosophy and religion are closely related
For many people God/religion is the basis for answering philosophical questions

A transcendent unchanging reality
An absolute justification for the value and purpose of human life
What about the questions of

“proving” God’s existence?
varieties of religious beliefs and controversy
still, religions and religious beliefs are commonly part of philosophical discussion
*

*

MIDDLE AGES
This ppt. covers history of Mid ages and deals with some questions about God as philosophical base
Middle Ages, Medieval Ages, (Dark ages?)
400AD to 1300 AD
Begin with “fall” of Roman Empire
End with beginning of Renaissance
Christianity is dominate philosophical influence in west
Major thinkers/ figures
Augustine 354-430AD (Plato synthesis)
St. Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274 AD (Aristotle synthesis)
Mohammed 571-632 AD Founded Islam

*

*

TERMS TO KNOW
Augustine influenced by Plato
Aquinas influence by Aristotle
Natural
Middle Ages/Medieval Ages
Theocracy
Copernican revolution
Theodicy
*

*

CHRISTIAN ERA
Rome declines/ Christian movement increases
Ushers in the Middle ages- (age of the church)
Church governance, scholarship, thinking dominant
Christians persecuted into 2nd century AD
By Jews and Romans (wouldn’t submit to emperor worship)
Gain acceptance over time
Christian message took root
Offered hope in an uncertain world
Valued individuals including women (India today)
Served during plagues
Promoted education for the commoners
Through time Christians found in leadership

*

*

CHRISTIAN ERA
Emperor Constantine, AD 300
makes Christianity state religion
Some reverse persecution
Christian forces close down the Academy and the Lyceum.
Augustine and Aquinas become dominant “philosophers” of that era.
Philosophical emphasis is on the being of God, man is subservient.
(Classical era-Philosophical emphasis is “humanism” –philosophy attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters)

*

*

INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY
Though fashionable to discredit religion – influence of religious belief should be understood.
Names of students in our class
Historical credits
Orphanages and outlawing of “exposure”
Art
Christian ethic
Forgiveness/ 2nd chance
Humility
Love for enemies

*

CHRISTIAN CALENDAR
Current world calendar established in 6th century AD is based birth of Jesus
Change from Julian Calendar begun in 45BC named after Julius Caesar.
Since British empire eventually controlled ¼ world, Christian calendar became dominant
We still hear of Jewish or Chinese New Year
622 is year 1 for Islam (Muhammad completes his Hegira, or “flight,” from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution.)
Jewish calendar 2019 is year 5779
Chinese calendar 2019 is year 4717

*

*

AUGUSTINE
354-430AD
Like Aquinas wanted to connect Christian Faith with Greek tradition of reason.
Sought to use/synthesize Plato with Christianity
Like Plato, happiness found in higher reality
For Augustine, a loving God is that reality
Worldly realm changes, God doesn’t change
Love and peace are key goals obtained when God’s created order is preserved
Moral law is expression of the nature of God
Natural divine law is basis for ethics

*

*

THE WHY QUESTION
How do you answer the why question?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why are things, good and bad, the way they are?
Moral evil and Natural evil
Theodicy – the question of evil
Theo/dicy God/Justice
If God is good, why is there evil in the world or why doesn’t God stop evil?

*

QUESTION OF EVIL (MILLER CH. 11)
Augustine known for pursuit of answer for the question- If God exists and is benevolent, why is there evil?
Six typical solutions
1. God is limited- though created universe – not involved in humanity.
2. God is too high above humanity for us to comprehend his purposes- God/evil exist but explanation too high above to grasp
3. Evil is absence of good- (St. Augustine) God is perfect but humanity is not- door is left open for evil to occur (Plato)
4. Free will defense- For God to have beings who could, of their own will, love and respond to him- he had to also give them the ability to reject him.
5. Evil as therapy- God allows evil so humans see how bad it is and right themselves
6. There is nothing but evil ultimately- it touches everyone- life is futile

*

*

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 1225-1274
Aquinas- Influenced by Aristotle
But Aristotle’s thinking not enough- no personal God
Goal of a person – Perfection
People drawn toward what fulfills and perfects them
Aristotle; people drawn toward perfect function
Aquinas; people drawn toward perfection itself- God
of God
God’s laws incorporated into human nature
Nature draws toward doing good
Human reason is capable of grasping moral truth/ethics from God

*

*

NATURAL LAW
Natural – transcendent principles about ultimate right and wrong that are authoritative for all people at all times-discovered by reason.
Human nature tends toward good, purpose and meaning
By reason we can grasp the essentials of right and wrong
Source of natural law
Aristotle – natural law- no God
Aquinas – natural law- from God
controversy- for example U.S. constitution

A. Based on Natural ?
B. Or, invention of humanity – therefore can change with times- “Living Constitution”
*

*

3 GREAT MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS
Judaism
Moses Maimonides 1125-1204AD – Spain
Christianity
Islam – Mohamed 570-632 AD
Avicenna 980- 1037
Averroes 1125-1198

*

THE PROBLEM OF GOD
Many issues today revolving around god/religion
Role of religious belief in government
Religious terrorism
American scene
Prayer in school
Ten Commandments on the wall
Pledge of Allegiance

Does Religion belief reinforce ethical living?
Do we hinder ethical living by excluding religion from society?
Philosophical problem for people of faith
Believe in God but is “truth” valid if not empirically provable?

*

*

END OF MIDDLE AGES
Renaissance 1300-1590 (Italian Renaissance) Humanism re-emphasized
Dante 1265- 1321 Dante’s Inferno
Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519 Artist/ engineer
Machiavelli 1469-1527 The Prince
Michelangelo 1475-1564 Artist
Copernicus 1473-1543 Copernican Revolution
Heliocentric Solar system
Galileo 1564-1642 Astronomer

*

*

GOD AND SCIENCE
Copernican revolution
If we can explain universe as “natural” phenomena, what part does God play?
Add to that
If we can’t know for sure about other realities beside the material world, how can we depend on religious ideas?
Continuing dilemma/debate about faith and knowledge
Western culture today, person of faith has feet in two worlds

*

*

BELIEF
How do we manage to hold conflicting ideas in our heads?

The word belief in our culture often means to simply entertain an idea not to make a commitment to the truth of the idea.

*

*

ULTIMATELY, DO WE CHOOSE WHAT WE BELIEVE?
Do we define belief as simply holding an idea in our heads? Do we often hold contradictory ideas in our heads?
How far is the Sun from earth? (click)
How do you know?
Can you measure it yourself?
Are you “forced” to believe anything?
Science describes world
Scientific knowledge is not absolute
Moons of Jupiter (has the number changed)
Irony of the day?
Do we use the “absolute” of science to prove the non- absoluteness of faith?

*

*

BEGINNING OF EARLY MODERN ERA
Western Civilization; though faith/religion remains driving force, “secular” course in philosophy and science continually advances.

*

*

TERMS TO KNOW
Augustine influenced by Plato
Aquinas influence by Aristotle
Natural
Middle Ages/Medieval Ages
Theocracy
Copernican revolution
Theodicy

*

*

THINGS TO KNOW

Who were the dominant “Philosophers” of the mid ages? What classical philosophers did they associate with? Were they rationalist or empiricist?

What explanation for the existence of evil did Augustine favor?

How many miles is earth from the sun?

*

END

*