Kant, Kierkegaard, Schleiermacher, Otto Flashcards
What is essentialist theory
the belief that there are core, unchanging, and inherent characteristics that define what a religion is
when does essentialist theory take off
1600s
what are the three main things that kant believes humans want answers about and what is the final outcome the book suggest and why
1) god
2) immortality and the after life
3) free will
we can’t have knowledge of any of these things because all knowledge that we can obtain exists within space and time. God, immortality and free will exist beyond boundaries of space and time
why does kant thing that humans must still believe in god etc.?
for moral stability
what is the core of religion for kant and why
morality
the starting point is moral sense: we feel ourselves subject to moral law
subconsciously we are able to determine between right and wrong (I.e. golden rule, love thy neighbour)
what is the categorical imperative (kant)
moral law is universal and neccesary
what is the issue with morality in an earthly sense and what is the solution (kant)
good people should have happiness, bad people should be punished but this is not actualized (our world is not just, we require justice)
thus there must be an afterlife where this is addressed (for morality)
what qualities must god have according to kant
1) needs to be a power that CAN bring about justice in afterlife
2) need to also know HOW to bring justice
3) needs to also WANT to bring justice (has to be ‘good’)
what is moral theism? What is kants opinion on religions based on this and not based on this
someone who believes in god for the morality reasons (kant)
True Religion
Superstition
why does kant believe in god
because he believes in morality, and believing in god is the only way that morality can exist (i.e. three reason of god)
what is Schleiermacher opinion on Kant’s moral theory and why
rejects: someone can be moral without being religious, therefore religion can’t just be about morality
what is Schleiermacher on propositional religion
rejects; someone can have all the knowledge in the world about all the religious scriptures but still not understand religion at its core
‘if you dont have the connection to the infinite then you arent religios, regardless of how many doctrines you memorize ‘
what is religion for Schleiermacher
immediate feeling of infinite and eternal; sense and taste of the infinite, sense of being wholly dependent on something else
the feeling of absolute dependence on the infinite
what is superstition for Schleiermacher
believing dogmas and doctrines are religion
what is the teological suspension of the ethical
suspending ethical for higher purpose
what does kierkegaard think the core of religion is
absolutized private relationship with god (involves leap of faith)
why is the theological suspension of the ethical important
if this doesn’t exist, Abraham is done for (he tried to murder his son)
what does kierkegaard think the highest priority should be and example
God; Abraham loved Isaac but loved god more
who is the true religious person for Kierkegaard
he who walks with god
what is a reductionist
religion is about fear
what is the non rational factor of the divine (Otto)
feeling of absolute dependence to infinite (same as schlermacher)
what is the doctrine of divine simplicity
god is not object w properties, god IS properties
what is the rational element of the divine/religion
language, we use language to describe god and other qualities of the non rational
why must there be a non rational factor
because god is beyond being grasped, beyond being analyzed and beyond being defined
you cannot capture religion purely thorugh propositions
