religion
TagPhilosophy, Science, and Religion
“What began to feel frustrating instead was a growing sense of the marginal place of philosophy more generally in UK culture… it is arguable that philosophy has drifted away, partly due to its own fault and partly due to the fault of the wider culture.” (more…)
Future of Templeton Philosophy Funding Uncertain (updated with replies from Templeton, Dennett)
The John Templeton Foundation, the largest single funder of philosophical projects in the United States, has eliminated its “Philosophy and Theology” department. (more…)
Philosophy Professor Suspended for Criticizing “Wokeness”
Gregory Schulz, a tenured professor of philosophy at Concordia University in Wisconsin, a private Lutheran university, was “suspended and barred from campus” following his publication of an essay critical of the school on the blog Christian News, according to Inside Higher Ed. (more…)
Amsterdam Synagogue Declares Spinoza Scholar “Persona Non Grata” (updated)
Yitzhak Melamed, professor of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, has been declared a “persona non grata” by a rabbi of the Portuguese Jewish Synagogue of Amsterdam, following a request to record footage at the synagogue for a project on Baruch Spinoza. (more…)
Christian Student Group Sues University Over Denial of Funds for Talk by Robert Audi (updated)
The University of Nebraska, Lincoln chapter of the evangelical Christian student group Ratio Christi is suing the university, claiming it was discriminated against when it was denied funding for a talk by philosopher Robert Audi (Notre Dame). (more…)
Philosophy Prof’s Lawsuit Against University On Addressing Trans Students Reinstated
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has reversed an earlier dismissal of a philosophy professor’s lawsuit against his employer, Shawnee State University, for violating his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Philosophy Canceled at Southwest Baptist University
Is the administration at Southwest Baptist University (SBU) scared of philosophy? (more…)
Philosophy Professor Fired After Posting Song on YouTube
James Spiegel, a professor of philosophy at Taylor University, a Christian liberal arts college in Indiana, was fired from his position after posting a video to YouTube of him performing one of his songs, “Little Hitler,” sharing it on Facebook, and refusing to take it down when asked to do so by the college administration. (more…)
$1.45 Million Grant Won for Project on Philosophy of Science and Theology
Meghan Page, assistant professor of philosophy at Loyola University Maryland has won a grant of $1,455,601 to support her project, “Building Foundations in Science-Engaged Theology: Insights from Philosophy of Science”. (more…)
Anti-Trans Discrimination in Philosophy of Religion: An Accusation & Possible Progress (Updated)
A professor of philosophy says she was told by the organizer of a conference on theology and philosophy of religion that he would not consider papers from her for conferences like that because she is transgender. (more…)
Philosopher Named to New State Dept. Commission on Unalienable Rights
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo earlier this week announced the creation of a new “Commission on Unalienable Rights,” comprised of scholars and activists interested in various dimensions of human rights, law, and religion, to provide him with “advice on human rights grounded in our nation’s founding principles and the principles of the 1948 Universal Declarat..
Concordia Philosophy Issues Statement on Controversial “Bill 21”
The Department of Philosophy at Concordia University has issued a statement opposing “Bill 21: an act respecting the laicity of the State,” also known as Québec’s “secularism bill,” currently under consideration by the National Assembly of Québec, which would prevent various government officials from wearing religious symbols in the exercise of their official functi..
$1.3 Million Grant for Philosophy of Religion in North America, Latin America, UK
Luis Oliveira, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Houston, has received $1.3 million to lead an international project on the epistemology of religion. (more…)
Philosophers Win $1.1 Million in Grants to Study Epistemology of Religion
Professor Jon McGinnis and Assistant Professor Billy Dunaway, philosophers at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, have received substantial funding for a project that brings together Medieval Islamic philosophy and contemporary epistemology of religion. (more…)
Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) Seeking Organizers
Minorities and Philosophy (MAP), a 104-chapter network of philosophy graduate students “that aims to examine and address issues of minority participation in academic philosophy,” is seeking to hire two international organizers. (more…)
The Apologetics Charge Against Philosophy of Religion
Dean Zimmerman (Rutgers) and Paul Draper (Purdue) discuss their views on the relationship between philosophy of religion and religious apologetics in a pair of recent posts at Philosophy of Religion.
Who Are Philosophers Less Willing To Hire?
George Yancey, a professor of sociology at the University of North Texas who works on anti-Christian attitudes in the United States, has researched bias in academia, and recently shared some information he had collected regarding philosophers’ hiring preferences. (more…)
How Religion Informs Philosophizing
In an interview at What Is It Like To Be A Philosopher?, Christian Miller, the A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University, discusses, among other things, the relationship between his religious and philosophical commitments. (more…)
Philosophers Object to Denial of Asylum to Humanist Unfamiliar with Plato & Aristotle
Two weeks ago, the British government’s Home Office rejected the asylum request of Hamza Bin Walayat because, while he described himself as a “humanist” worried about religious persecution in his home country of Pakistan, be could not answer questions about Plato and Aristotle. Now, 120 philosophers have signed onto a letter objecting to the decision. (more…)
Leftow from Oxford to Rutgers
Brian Leftow, currently Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at Oriel College, Oxford University, has accepted a position at Rutgers University as the William P. Alston Chair for the Philosophy of Religion and director of the Rutgers Center for the Philosophy of Religion. (more…)
Political Uniformity and Religion in Philosophy
Q: How do you feel about Trump’s performance thus far? Is this what you expected?
A: I’m very pleased with his performance. (more…)
Right Answers And What Makes For A Good Philosopher
Just going to put this on the table:
Question: You work in the field of the philosophy of religion. Are you a religious person and do you think philosophy of religion can be done by people who aren’t?
Answer: Let me take your questions in order. I am a Christian; I was brought up in a Christian family; and I’ve never really wavered from that worldview. I defin..
Philosopher Faces Blasphemy Charges (updated)
Philosophy professor Sheikha al-Jassem (Shaikha Binjasim) is facing charges of blasphemy and the possible loss of her faculty position at Kuwait University, owing to remarks she made in a television interview about freedom of conscience, the politicization of religion in Kuwait, and how the Kuwaiti constitution, not the Quran, is and should be the basis of law in Ku..
18 “Hope & Optimism” Projects Receive $2m Funding
Hope and Optimism: Conceptual and Empirical Investigations, an interdisciplinary initiative headed by Andrew Chignell (Cornell) and Samuel Newlands (Notre Dame) which last year received about $4.5 million from the John Templeton Foundation, has just announced $2 million in funding for 18 projects. Philosophers receiving funding in this round include:
- Matthew Ben..
Philosophy May Come to Schools in Wales
Wales is poised to scrap Religious Education lessons in its schools, it has been revealed. Instead, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Education and Skills, Huw Lewis, argued it should be renamed to focus on the teaching of “religion, philosophy and ethics”.
The Independent reports that the idea is intended both to “combat extremism” in the religious educati..
Dennett Withdraws from Templeton-Sponsored Event
Daniel Dennett (Tufts) has withdrawn from the popular World Science Festival upon learning of its funding from the John Templeton Foundation. Dennett, whose opposition to Templeton has been discussed here before, is reported by The Washington Post as saying:
“I would be very happy to have the Templeton Foundation sponsor research on religion and science,” he said..
Way Too Much Going On Here, Mill Edition
In England, a judge who relied explicity on the writings of John Stuart Mill in his ruling granted an imprisoned mentally ill Jehovah’s Witness sex offender the right to refuse a blood transfusion after a suicide attempt.
The judge was told that had been moved to hospital from prison after cutting his arm with a razor blade and opening an artery. Specialists said ..