Week 1 Flashcards
“How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.”
This quote suggests that encountering contradictions or apparent impossibilities is actually a positive thing, as it opens doors to new understanding and advancement
“Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real.”
This quote explores the paradoxical nature of reality, suggesting that our understanding of what’s “real” is more complex than it appears on the surface
“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.”
This quote teaches that solutions to complex problems often require us to shift our perspective and approach rather than just trying harder with our current thinking
Why is Bohr relevant to a Religion and Film course?
His philosophical approaches to understanding reality and paradox provide frameworks for analyzing how we interpret meaning in both science and religious/artistic expression.
How is religion defined in the context of this course?
A system or language for unclosed, “unanswerable” and ineffable questions (questions for which we have no words)
What makes a question “ineffable”?
questions “for which we have no words” - they transcend our ability to fully express or explain them
What are the key questions to ask when studying Creation?
- Who/what is creating?
- Is the creation genuinely new or a recombination of existing elements?
How does Interruption function in religious creation narratives?
- It represents divine intervention
- Breaks in continuity
- Moments that alter the status quo
What distinguishes Invention from Genesis in religious studies?
- Invention focuses on human innovation and development
- Genesis deals with fundamental or divine origins
How does Language function in creation narratives?
It serves as both a tool:
- describing creation
- a creative force itself in many religious traditions
What is the Frame Problem as discussed by McCarthy and Hayes?
A philosophical problem in AI about how to represent the effects of actions without having to represent explicitly all the things that do not change
What is Derrida’s key question about language and meaning?
How language creates meaning and the relationship between signifiers and what they represent
What’s the difference between productive and reproductive imagination according to Paul Ricoeur?
- Productive imagination creates new meanings and possibilities
- Reproductive imagination recreates or copies existing ideas
What are the key questions to ask when studying revelation?
- Who/what is revealing?
- What is being revealed?
- How is the revelation received and understood?
How does apocalyptic revelation differ from other forms?
It often involves complete unveiling of hidden truths and dramatic transformation of existing reality
What distinguishes trivial from non-trivial revelation?
- Non-trivial revelation generates new knowledge requiring new understanding
- trivial revelation confirms existing knowledge
What role does the “Other” play in revelation?
Represents the undefinable source of revelation, often transcendent or beyond human understanding
How does Turing’s work relate to revelation?
distinguish between revelations that generate new knowledge versus those that merely confirm existing understanding
What is the relationship between knowledge and revelation?
Revelation can lead to new knowledge, particularly when non-trivial, transforming our understanding
How does epiphany relate to revelation?
Epiphany is a sudden realization or revelation that often leads to new understanding or insight
How do creation and revelation interconnect?
Revelation can lead to the creation of new understanding, while creation can reveal new truths
What are the key questions to ask when studying redemption?
- Who or what is being redeemed?
- What is the process of redemption?
- Who/what has the power to redeem?
How does the concept of rescue relate to redemption?
Rescue is a physical act of saving, while redemption often involves spiritual, moral, or metaphysical transformation
What characterizes a messiah figure in religious narratives?
A divine or chosen individual with the power to bring about redemption or salvation for others
How does the role of a savior differ from a messiah?
A savior can be anyone who brings redemption, while a messiah is specifically chosen or destined for this role
How do power dynamics play into redemption narratives?
Often involves a more powerful entity (divine/messiah) redeeming a less powerful one (human/society)
What is the fundamental definition of “sacred” in religious studies?
Something that is “set apart” or separated from the ordinary/profane world
What is the paradox of the sacred?
It can be both separate from yet present in everyday life, transcendent yet immanent
How can the sacred manifest in everyday experiences?
Through rituals, objects, moments, or spaces that transform ordinary elements into sacred ones
What is meant by parallax in understanding the sacred?
Different perspectives or viewpoints can reveal different aspects of what is considered sacred
How does sacred time differ from ordinary time?
It represents moments of divine revelation or cosmic significance that break from mundane temporal experience
How does revelation relate to sacred time?
Revelatory moments create sacred time by breaking through ordinary temporal experience
How does genesis relate to sacred time?
Creation narratives establish primordial sacred time that gives meaning to all other time
What defines a sacred place?
A location set apart through religious significance, ritual, or divine manifestation
How does sacred space differ from sacred place?
Sacred space can be created temporarily through ritual or practice, while sacred place is often permanently designated
Why is context important in understanding the sacred?
What is considered sacred varies across cultures, religions, and historical periods
What are liminal moments in religious studies?
Transitional or “threshold” moments between states where transformation or revelation can occur
How do rituals function in religious and film contexts?
They create structured, meaningful actions that can transform ordinary moments into sacred experiences
What is allegory’s role in religious films?
A narrative technique where stories carry deeper symbolic or religious meanings beyond their literal interpretation
How do superpowers relate to religious themes?
They often parallel divine powers, miraculous abilities, and raise questions about human potential and divine intervention
How does Rollerball represent ritual?
Through structured, ceremonial violence that serves a social and quasi-religious function
