Lecturer:
Fr. Henry Siew
Contact:
Class Venue:
St. Benedict
Assessment:
Graded
Requirement:
Open
Duration:
16 Classes
Credits:
2
Lecture-hours:
32
Theodicy
PH212
Semester 1, 2021
Tuesday Mornings from 11:15am to 1:15pm
Class Dates: Jan 19, 26, Feb 02, 09, 16, 23, Mar 02, 09, 23, 30, Apr 06, 13, 20, 27, May 04, 11, 2021
Examination: Not Confirmed (TBA)
This course serves as a philosophical reflection on God. It equips the students with various arguments for the existence of God, and considers the language and method by which God can be spoken of. Some intellectual demonstrations of the existence of God will be discussed. They include the ontological proof of St. Anselm, the five ways of St. Thomas, Kant’s postulate of the existence of God by pure practical reason, C S Lewis’s moral sense as an indication of the existence of a higher power. It is followed by experiential descriptions of the existence of God, including Martin Buber’s thesis of I-Thou relationship, and St. Teresa of Avila’s mystical experience of God. Doubts about the existence of God include Feuerbach’s idea of God as the projection of man himself, Freud’s proposal of man’s defense against nature, Nietzsche’s moral postulate of His death, and Russell’s skepticism. The question of religious language is raised and the ideas of metaphors, analogies and symbols will be discussed. Lastly, the problem of evil and its implication is analyzed. The contention of Hume concerning evil as a proof of the non-existence of God will be debated upon.