Module overview
Debates between believers and non-believers are often fierce and can appear intractable, while the differences between them leads to social tension, conflict, and even war. Non-believers frequently charge believers with irrationality; in response, believers either try to show that faith has a rational basis or, more radically, deny that faith is a matter of reason at all. This module aims to introduce you to competing views concerning the nature of religious belief, and to give you the chance to explore critically some of the reasons given for and against it.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- articulate and defend your own views concerning the nature and basis of religious faith.
- contribute in an informed and dispassionate fashion to debates concerning the existence of God.
- evaluate critically the arguments which both believers and non-believers advance in support of their views.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- scrutinise complex texts and extract from them key information.
- demonstrate skills in essay writing, planning and research.
- contribute to controversial debates in a critical and fair-minded way.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- competing accounts of faith and the nature of religious beliefs.
- influential arguments against belief in the existence of God.
- influential arguments offered in support of belief in the existence of God.
Syllabus
You can expect to explore topics such as:
- Arguments for religious belief
- Arguments against religious belief
- Life after death
- Religious language
- The nature of faith
- The connection between religion and morality
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching activities include:
- Lectures
- In class discussion
- One to one consultation with the module coordinator
Learning activities include:
- Attending classes
- Contributing to class discussion
- Doing independent research for and completing assessment tasks
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Teaching | 33 |
| Independent Study | 117 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Blackboard.
Textbooks
M Murray & M Rea (2008). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. Cambridge University Press.
B Davies (2004). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. Oxford University Press.
W Rowe (2001). Philosophy of Religion. Wadsworth Publishing.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Essay proposalSummative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 70% |
| Debate | 20% |
| Documentation | 10% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Timed Assignment | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Debate | 20% |
| Documentation | 10% |
| Essay | 70% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External