Assessment

Continuous Assessment: 40% Final Examination: 60%

Module Aims

Aims

This module is comprised of two components. The first consists in s systematic presentation of fundamental philosophical solutions to the religious question of the God/world relation as seen specifically in pantheism, acosmism, dualism and the Christian belief in creation ex nihilo. The second component consists in an exploration of the homo religious as explicitly seen in the movements of love and desire. In the context of a philosophy of religion, desire will be investigated in relation to the theme of the idol and the icon, guided by the existential question: “What do I love.” Figures treated include: Jean Daniélou, Plato, Augustine, Pascal, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche, and C.S. Lewis.

Indicative Syllabus:

• Overview of the major philosophical solutions to the God/world relation.
• Desire as immanent or transcendent.
• The idol and the icon.
• Readings of the major philosophical figures on the theme of desire.

Course Text:

Readings will be put up weekly on Moodle.

Texts will be put up weekly on Moodle.

Learning Outcomes

• — • Demonstrate an understanding of the systematic solutions to the God/world relation, along with a knowledge of the major philosophical stances towards the religious/philosophical theme of desire.
• — • To be able to identify, explicate and analyse philosophical texts.
• — • To be able to personally reflect, in a philosophical manner, on the theme of desire in one’s own life.