Kant, Kierkegaard, Schleiermacher, Otto

Question 1

What is essentialist theory

Answer 1

the belief that there are core, unchanging, and inherent characteristics that define what a religion is

Question 2

when does essentialist theory take off

Answer 2

1600s

Question 3

what is Kants main book called & when was it published

Answer 3

critique of pure reason; 1781

Question 4

what is kants book about

Answer 4

metaphysics

Question 5

what are the three main things that kant believes humans want answers about and what is the final outcome the book suggest

Answer 5

1) god
2) immortality and the after life
3) free will

we can’t have knowledge of any of these things

Question 6

why can we not have knowledge over any of the three things kant highlights

Answer 6

because all knowledge that we can obtain exists within space and time. God, immortality and free will exist beyond boundaries of space and time

Question 7

why does kant thing that humans must still believe in god etc.?

Answer 7

for moral stability

Question 8

what is the core of religion for kant

Answer 8

morality

Question 9

what is the kants reasoning for morality being the core of religion

Answer 9

the starting point is moral sense: we feel ourselves subject to moral law

subconsciously we are able to determine between right and wrong (I.e. golden rule, love thy neighbour)

Question 10

what is the categorical imperative (kant)

Answer 10

moral law is universal and neccesary

Question 11

what is the issue with morality in an earthly sense and what is the solution (kant)

Answer 11

good people should have happiness, bad people should be punished but this is not actualized (our world is not just, we require justice)

thus there must be an afterlife where this is addressed (for morality)

Question 12

what qualities must god have according to kant

Answer 12

1) needs to be a power that CAN bring about justice in afterlife
2) need to also know HOW to bring justice
3) needs to also WANT to bring justice (has to be ‘good’)

Question 13

what is moral theism

Answer 13

someone who believes in god for the morality reasons (kant)

Question 14

what does kant think of moral theism

Answer 14

true religion

Question 15

what does kant think of religions not rooted in morality

Answer 15

superstition

Question 16

why does kant believe in god

Answer 16

because he believes in morality, and believing in god is the only way that morality can exist (i.e. three reason of god)

Question 17

what is Schleiermacher book and when was it published

Answer 17

on religion; 1799

Question 18

what is Schleiermacher opinion on Kant’s moral theory and why

Answer 18

rejects: someone can be moral without being religious, therefore religion can’t just be about morality

Question 19

what is Schleiermacher on propositional religion

Answer 19

rejects; someone can have all the knowledge in the world about all the religious scriptures but still not understand religion at its core

‘if you dont have the connection to the infinite then you arent religios, regardless of how many doctrines you memorize ‘

Question 20

what is religion for Schleiermacher

Answer 20

immediate feeling of infinite and eternal; sense and taste of the infinite, sense of being wholly dependent on something else

the feeling of absolute dependence on the infinite

Question 21

what is superstition for Schleiermacher

Answer 21

believing dogmas and doctrines are religion

Question 22

when did kierkegaard write fear and trembling

Answer 22

1843

Question 23

what is the teological suspension of the ethical

Answer 23

suspending ethical for higher purpose

Question 24

what does kierkegaard think the core of religion is

Answer 24

absolutized private relationship with god (involves leap of faith)

Question 25

why is the theological suspension of the ethical important

Answer 25

if this doesn't exist, Abraham is done for (he tried to murder his son)

Question 26

what does kierkegaard think the highest priority should be and example

Answer 26

God; Abraham loved Isaac but loved god more

Question 27

who is the true religious person for Kierkegaard

Answer 27

he who walks with god

Question 28

what is a reductionist

Answer 28

religion is about fear

Question 29

what does freud think the core of religion is

Answer 29

psychology

Question 30

what is the non rational factor of the divine (Otto)

Answer 30

feeling of absolute dependence to infinite (same as schlermacher)

Question 31

what is the doctrine of divine simplicity

Answer 31

god is not object w properties, god IS properties

Question 32

what is the rational element of the divine/religion

Answer 32

language, we use language to describe god and other qualities of the non rational

Question 33

why must there be a non rational factor

Answer 33

because god is beyond being grasped, beyond being analyzed and beyond being defined you cannot capture religion purely thorugh propositions

Question 34

what is the error of rationalism

Answer 34

does not take non-rational factor into account; rational is not reasonable in this context it is what exist in the sphere of human understanding

Question 35

what is the category of the holy

Answer 35

tied to the religious category; when you walk into a holy place, holiness comes over you similar to a beautiful sunset

Question 36

what is ottos opinion on morality as the core of religion

Answer 36

content of holy cannot be exhausted in terms of morality holiness is not morality (a feeling beyond morality). Beyond sanctity, law etc.

Question 37

what is the numinous

Answer 37

unique experience/feeling of the divine (idea of the holy)

Question 38

what are the qualities of the numinous

Answer 38

1) creature consciousness 2) mysterium tremendum 3) majestas 4) force 5) fascination

Question 39

how does Otto try to persuade readers regarding the numinous

Answer 39

appeling to sense of holy that you as a reader will have to understand to read the book cannot be vindicated in any way, simply appealing to a feeling that he hopes his readers will resonate with

Question 40

what is creature consciousness

Answer 40

a sense of one's own insignificance in the presence of something greater self abasmenet into nothing before the overpwoering might of being

Question 41

what is mysterious tremendum

Answer 41

kind of fear, but in an entrancing king of way standing in awe, mysterious terror

Question 42

what is majestas

Answer 42

feeling of being in contact with a power that overshadows my power (majesty)

Question 43

what is force

Answer 43

to experiecne numinous is to expereince something overpowering omnipotent force

Question 44

what is fascination

Answer 44

alluring and entrancing aspect of the numoinous profoundly attractive to the human mind, not just scary, daunting and fascinating simultaneously

Question 45

example of creature consciousness

Answer 45

when abraham speaks w god: ‘ permit me to speak to you for i am just ashes, dust ‘ feeling one's own nothingness

Question 46

example of mysterium tremendum

Answer 46

reactions to wrath of god 'I don't want god to be angry with me'

Question 47

what is ottos problem with schleiermacher's 'feeling of dependence'

Answer 47

does not fully capture the emotional depth of the numinous, prefers creature consciousness

Question 48

what is rationalism

Answer 48

a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response.

Question 49

what is the wholly other

Answer 49

something entirely different from anything in normal experience. It is not just unknown but completely outside the realm of human understanding jaw dropping experience, awe