Secularism Flashcards
(35 cards)
What did Freud believe about religion’s psychological impact?
He believed religion was a form of neurosis, causing repression and psychological illness.
What is Freud’s concept of religion as wish fulfillment?
Religion fulfills deep psychological desires, particularly the longing for parental protection.
How does Freud compare religious belief to childhood?
He argued that belief in God is like a child’s dependence on a father figure.
What is Freud’s theory of religion as an infantile illusion?
Religion helps people cope with fears of death and suffering, but it is ultimately an obsessional neurosis.
How did Freud explain religious conversion experiences?
He linked them to the Oedipus complex, arguing that religious experiences are psychological rather than divine.
How did Freud believe society should progress regarding religion?
He believed reason and science should replace religious belief for a healthier society.
What are the main criticisms of Freud’s view on religion?
Not all religious experiences are neurotic (Keith Ward).
Religion provides meaning and community rather than repression.
Wish fulfillment can be a positive force, fostering creativity and inspiration.
What is Dawkins’ main argument in The God Delusion?
He argues that belief in God is irrational and that atheism is the only reasonable position.
Why does Dawkins reject religious explanations for life?
He believes evolution explains life without requiring a “God hypothesis.”
How does Dawkins define religious belief?
He describes it as a delusion—a false belief held despite evidence to the contrary.
Why does Dawkins criticize the idea of “non-overlapping magisteria” (NOMA)?
He argues that all beliefs, including religious ones, should be subject to scientific inquiry.
How does Dawkins view religion’s impact on children?
He sees religious indoctrination as a form of psychological child abuse.
What are some examples Dawkins gives to show religion’s harm?
Hell houses in the U.S., religiously motivated violence, and the suppression of scientific knowledge.
How do critics respond to Dawkins’ claims about religion?
Many argue that faith and reason can coexist (McGrath).
Religion is not inherently violent—Jesus taught peace.
Science and religion can complement each other.
What does Eagleton argue about religion’s contribution to culture?
Religion has inspired art, literature, and architecture in ways secularism cannot replace.
Why does Eagleton criticize secular capitalism?
It prioritizes profit over morality, weakening social values.
What does Eagleton say about the root cause of fundamentalism?
He argues it stems from anxiety rather than hatred, as people fear the loss of their values.
What does Eagleton see as the two extreme reactions to secularism?
Western secular atheism fears religion.
Religious fundamentalism fears secularization.
What does Eagleton predict about the future of secularism?
He believes secularism struggles to replace religion and is ultimately doomed.
What is Taylor’s critique of secularism?
He argues that secularists assume religion naturally disappears with progress, which he calls a “subtraction story.”
Why does Taylor believe the Western world is unusual in its secularism?
Historically, belief in God has been the norm, and Western secularism is an exception.
What does Taylor say is a weakness of secular humanism?
It overemphasizes individualism and weakens communal bonds.
What does Taylor mean by “self-sufficing humanism”?
A worldview where humans seek fulfillment without God, but he finds it deeply unsatisfying.
How does Taylor argue we can experience the “fullness of life”?
He believes true fulfillment comes from spirituality and a connection to the divine.
