David Hunt - Does Philosophy Illuminate Religion?

When philosophy focuses on religion its targets cover the field: proofs of God’s existence, traits and attributes of God, human essence and purpose, religious experiences, faith and belief, diverse and conflicting religions, science and religion, miracles and revelation, and the like. What can religion learn from philosophy? Can philosophy approach God?

David Hunt is a Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Whittier College in Whittier, CA. He earned a BA from Pomona College and a PhD from Vanderbilt University. His academic interests include Ancient and Early Medieval Philosophy (especially Plato, Plotinus, and Augustine), Metaphysics, Action Theory, and the Philosophy of Religion.

Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[patientson]

David Hunt, you are the man. Tachyon, God, Sun, etc.

[SRAVALM]

As a liberated Soul, I am 100% going towards 'self-realization', and this is much satisfying; the whole world has been renewed, splendor and joy in contemplation or meditation always had.
Religion in the Srimad Bhagavatam means devotional service or connection with God. The scriptures are absolutely scientific and go further into the transcendental realization of God.

The conditioned souls are materialists and atheists. They have limited modes for understanding at that's the senses and their own personal whim; they two measure themselves improperly by comparing others around them so finding their bearings. Because they're Without they have no way of making what's latent within them known. They can only read scripture literally as they have no other mode. Senses rule these conditioned beings.

[IronFreee]

What experience are supposed to be provided by gods? I've been to church as a kid, where I experienced many emotions (mainly boredom), but I have no reason to think that they were provided by God.
Did I missed something?

[patientson]

If you can make a decision that have EFFECTS to improve every MAJOR muscles (3) in your OWN body, from ground up, then i must say you are marching with GOD

[jamesruscheinski]

God's foreknowledge of free will determines causation?

[brothermine]

Hunt didn't provide any examples where it was more useful to assume a god than a powerful mad scientist.

[-by-_Publishing_LLC]

Philosophy, science, and religion do have a common goal in seeking the answers to "Existence, " but they also share a common flaw: None of them can accurately explain "Existence" on their own. Each demonstrate their limitations based on how they process data. It is only when we exploit *all available disciplines* of data acquisition and analysis that we are able to discover the truth.

... That's exactly what I've done in my book titled "0."

After all, any *"Theory of Everything"* that's worth the paper it's written on requires _"everything"_ to be embedded within the theory - and not just whatever one isolated discipline can produce.

[CesarClouds]

Why does religion need illumination when, especially monotheistic autocratic ones, are the absolute only way; the Truth?

[samc]

fable plus myth times hazy divided by woolly equals fantasy

[anwaypradhan]

May be it's very bitter and difficult to hear and listen for the thiests, philosophy has nothing to do with religion. Philosophy is the love for truth. Some scientific Philosophy leads to formation of a better human society. Philosophies are inspired and influenced from certain type, quantity and quality of social beings, knowledge, historical to cultural to social background, some of the ethnic group and influencial groups of society. Religion relies upon belief, religion is idealistic. Philosophy on the other hand avoids more belief, it requires much more evidence to get structured and formulated.

[jamarvlarue-Herclus]

God only gave people knowledge and wisdom when they're not got the wisdom for reasonable if You already got wisdom he won't gave You the wisdom the lord only gave wisdom too people who don't have no wisdom he not going gave a person knowledge if they already got wisdom knowledge of God chooses format spread through the space and time and star If you ask him for it he gave it too you but you have too practice it everyday God only comes though people written peace of paper he dont make none mistakes he perfect God not Jealous God loving and caring God oh yeah his wife give people wisdom too she was the birth of life the big bang theory

[d.r.tweedstweeddale]

How is it possible to illuminate that which only exists in the imaginations of those, requiring a salve for their fears & ignorance, chose to believe the writings of men who wish to control the behaviours of their subjects in order to enrich themselves? You sure do ask some dumb questions, Bob.

[thomasridley]

This is not a very creative argument.
It's just special pleading his god as the source. I want my god to be the source, so it must be the source.

Yes, thought experiments are always defined to reach the conclusion you want.

[dadsonworldwide]

Unfortunately its also a parallel movement that took well established logic and reversed philosophy. Revised a pantheon of excuses that had been reduced simplified and unified into manageable packages of knowledge thats easy to convey and demonstrate.
The 2nd middle age enlightenment didn't just a reform in Christianity in parallel is sparked a pagan reform into humanism that prevailed in the more elitist corners of the west and academia..
Europeans went with this anti logical rationalism while the American founders invoked the common sense logic in line with the traditional approach.

[ManiBalajiC]

God is just a middleman so we never need to answer the beginning... Ever existing consciousness and powerful being doesn't make any sense.

[maxwellsimoes]

Absurd he believes G OD is presence phich phenome. Fundamental Law of phich determine figure out phich in the Universe. If he really believes GOD show up Universe he figuret GOD atributes links fundamental Law of phich. He didnt it. Lack standard phich proceedings. In the others words he hasnt GOD atributes in hinself.