Philosophy Study Group Forum
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Date: 12/15/99 01:34:43 PM 
Name: Willsin 

Email: willsin@hotmail.com 

Subject: Philosophy & Religion: A mediocre distinction 


I have glanced through you people's debate over the difference between philosophy and religion. 

I wonder why no one proposes mediocre response like the following: 

Philosophy concerns reflection. Philosophers constantly reflects on the truth and reliability of his
 views. 

Religion is different. Religious believer claims truth from the beginning. He or she may doubt on
 some peripheral questions, but there's some core element they won't doubt. 

Philosophers in principle should not have limit on what he would doubt. (What I am talking here
 concerns chiefly metaphysical topics. If a wife constantly doubts about her husband's faithfulness,
 she would not because of it becomes a philosopher.) 

To push the point further (perhaps unfairly), religious believers may reach for "things" to reconfirm
 their religious belief. A philosohpher seeks argument and points to revise or refute her existing philosophical belief. 

To simplify, philosophers have the strategy of engaging in a constantly self-refuting process. Arguing
 and Counter-arguing. Religious believers have the strategy of engaging in a self-confirming process.
 Read out from the world the language of God. 

Philosophy is secular, public, communicatable. Religion is sacred, private, incommunicatable. Religion
 gives people hope and courage to live on, however hopless their life situation can be. 
Philosophy can't do it.  
 


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