Courses / Module

• Identify the main lines of argument in contemporary debate concerning the existence and nature of God.
• Discuss in a philosophically sophisticated way the relationship between reason, science and religion.
• Identify and discriminate between the various ‘traditional’ proofs for the existence of God within the Western philosophical tradition, with the aim of assessing both their validity as philosophical arguments and their relevance for debate concerning the existence of God in our own time.
• Explain how the theory of Evolution and contemporary theories concerning the make-up and origins of the universe can represent a challenge to ‘traditional’ philosophical proofs for the existence of God.
• Identify and examine the ‘attributes’ applied to God in the Western philosophical tradition (i.e., goodness, omnipotence, omniscience) with a view to assessing the coherence of theism.
• 6. Analyse the philosophical problem of evil as a major challenge for belief in the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good God.
• Present and articulate, in scholarly written format, a cogent argument for a position taken in relation to a philosophical approach to considering the question of the existence of God today.
• Demonstrate ability to select and think-through a response that is of relevance to the set essay-assignment tasks in addressing issues of concern in philosophy of God, reason, science and religion.

• 24 lecture hours (12 weeks x 2 lecture hours per week); 3 tutorial hours (x 15 tutorial groups); reading, reflection, discussion and writing.

• Module Graded (numeric value) or Ungraded (Pass/Not Passed): Graded
• Continuous Assessment detail(s): 5% = Attendance at Tutorials. 20% = Tutorial Essay-Assignment (c. 1,000 words) 15% = Presentation 60% = Final Essay-Assignment (c. 2,000 words).

• Pass standard: 40%
• Could the result of this module be capped? No
• 40%.
• Penalties: As set out in the Department Student Handbook.

• Essay Assignment c. 2,000 words

This timetable is not currently available, please contact the Philosophy Department.