PHIL 5442 Faith and Reason

The aim of this course is to critically evaluate the relationship between faith and reason, as a fundamental distinction which runs through the history of Western philosophical thought. From a classical perspective, faith is a type of knowledge which is not based on empirical evidence, a choice which is motivated by the will, yet does not contradict that which we know as certain. Reason is a type of knowledge which is based on empirical evidence and/or logical operations, such that the human intellect can arrive at certain knowledge about the world and the nature of the human being. Are these two types of knowledge compatible, or are they irreconcilable as approaches to understanding reality? The course will offer reflections which will illuminate this fascinating relationship. Satisfies the following distribution requirement (s) for Philosophy: Knowledge & Reality.