Class #3, 2/6/12--Back to Work!

**Health report: Had the flu, got over it with a lingering cough that turned out to be bronchitis. I'll be there Monday night.

**Due tonight--two weeks' work:

------>You should have read, hightlighted and reviewed the dialogue "Euthyphro" that was assigned the week before last. This is a basic discussion for the issue of the relationship between philosophy and religion.

------>We'll try to get a basic discussion underway about religious experience, based on the readings from St Theresa, William James and Michael Martin.

------>Written work due:
------>------>Your page on "Slow Reading"
------>------>Your reflection on the issue with religious experience.

**"Euthyphro" discussion. (See talking points in previous agenda.)

**Discussion on religious experience--

------>What exactly did St Theresa experience?


------>James' criteria for religious phenomena.



------>Martin's criticism--valid or not? Does he leave any room for a genuine level of religious experience?

**For next week:  Faith and Reason--some classic texts on the relationship between the two. 

------>Readings:
------>------>Thomas Aquinas, "The Harmony of Reason and Revelation," pp 92ff.
------>------>Pascal, "The Wager," pp 96ff.
------>------>Wm. Clifford, "The Ethics of Belief," pp 99ff.
------>------>Kierkegaard, "Truth is Subjectivity," pp 111ff.

------>Write a page:  William Clifford says we should only believe anything when we have "sufficient evidence ... based on fair inquiry."  What does he mean by this?  Is it a fair standard when applied to religious belief?