Summary

The overall theme of the course is to take an analytical look at the competition between religious worldviews and more naturalistic worldviews as it has developed in the Western world during the last centuries.  Every one of us is affected by this competition, and every one of us has to take sides whether we like it or not.  (Even trying to ignore the issue, or saying that one does not care, is in effect to take a side -- one who takes that attitude simply remains on whatever side they already are on.)  The course will not be designed to convince students what is the correct position to take, but will be designed to produce understanding of what the issues are, and why reasonable people find it so difficult to come to any agreement about these matters.  Students will be asked to begin to take a position on these issues.

Details

1. Religious, Naturalistic, and Scientific Worldviews
   The Big Questions
   Religious worldviews
   Naturalism and science
   Belief systems and attitudes toward life
2. Myth, religion, truth
   Defining "myth" in the world of religion
   Mythological understanding of religious story-telling vs. historical understanding
   How does mythology have meaning?
   Can a myth be true?
   Can a myth be the foundation of a religious worldview?
3. Rationally assessing worldviews
   How are worldviews supported by evidence?
   Can someone operating from one worldview legitimately critique someone else's worldview?
4. Naturalistic attacks on religion
   Explaining religion away
   Questioning the testability of religious beliefs
5. Quasi-naturalistic alternatives to religious worldviews
   Religion without doctrines--it's all about ethos and ethics
   The secular humanist alternative
   Objective values without religion
   Naturalized spirituality
6. Holding on to the transcendent while keeping science
   Forming religious webs of belief
   Science-friendly reconstructions of religious outlooks
   What will become of religion if naturalistic explanation is accepted?
   Can't we just appeal to faith?
7. Extended example: theory of biological evolution
   Does the theory of evolution in biology imply a naturalistic worldview?
   Problems and prospects for combining religious outlooks with acceptance of evolution
   Connections with mythological ways of understanding -- creation stories
   What does this example show about the relation between religious worldviews and science?  About religious worldviews and naturalism?
8. Summary reflections on naturalistic and religious worldviews