Access to Religion and Philosophy: Philosophy of Religion Third Edition

Summary:
Each book in the Access to Religion and Philosophy series provides a concise and readable introduction to a key area in religious studies and philosophy for A Level students.

The third edition of Philosophy of Religion has been updated in line with the revised 2008 A level specification requirements. It examines key issues including the proofs for the existence of God, the problem of evil and suffering and the relationship between mind, body and religious language. It provides a solid basis for those who are starting A level courses in Religious Studies or Philosophy.

The new edition combines all the strengths of the second edition with a new design and features to make the content more accessible to all students in order to develop their understanding of the topic.

New features include:
- Key questions throughout the chapters to help students focus on the key issues
- Key terms defined and explained throughout the chapters
- Profiles of key individuals - their contribution and significance
- More summary diagrams throughout to aid revision
- Revision checklists at the end of chapters
- New exam-style questions and tips at the end of each chapter

• Redesigned to allow greater accessibility to a wide range of post-16 students.
• New features such as definitions, summaries and exam tips to aid students' understanding, revision and essay writing techniques.
• Updated to ensure relevant coverage of the revised 2008 A level specifications.
• In-depth coverage of specific issues to help students access higher grades.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Tools for the Job
1. Studying philosophy
2. Philosophy of religion
3. Philosophical arguments
Study Guide
Chapter 2 The nature of God
1. Introduction
2. Terminology
3. The key attributes of God
4. Are the attributes self-consistent?
5. Are the attributes consistent with one another?
6. Recent developments
Study Guide
Chapter 3 The existence of God - 1
1. The classic arguments for the existence of God
2. The ontological argument
3. Supporters of the ontological argument
4. Criticisms of the ontological argument
Study Guide
Chapter 4 The existence of God 2 - the cosmological argument
1. The cosmological argument
2. Criticisms of Aquinas' arguments
3. Other forms of the cosmological argument
4. Conclusions
Study Guide
Chapter 5 The existence of God - 3: the teleological argument
1. Introduction
2. The argument from design
3. The argument to design
4. Hume's criticisms
5. Further criticisms
6. Conclusions
Study Guide
Chapter 6 The existence of God - 4: the moral argument
1. The moral argument
2. Kant's arguments
Study Guide
Chapter 7 The existence of God - 5: the religious experience argument
1. The religious experience argument
2. Differences between 'religious' and 'ordinary' experiences
3. Types of religious experience
4. Is a religious experience authentic?
Study Guide
Chapter 8 Miracles
1. What is a miracle?
2. Is it reasonable to believe in miracles?
3. Modern supporters
4. What might miracles prove?
Study Guide
Chapter 9 The value of theistic proofs
1. Cumulative arguments
2. Criticisms
Study Guide
Chapter 10 Faith and reason
1. Belief
2. Belief-that and belief- in
3. Belief and evidence
4. Faith
5. Faith and reason
6. Pascal's wager
Study Guide
Chapter 11 The problem of evil
1. The problem stated
2. Some possible approaches
3. The two classical theodicies
Study Guide
Chapter 12 The mind and body problem
1. Mind and body?
2. Dualism
3. Materialism
4. Personal identity
Study Guide
Chapter 13 Life after death
1. The philosophical problems of life after death
2. The evidence for life after death
Study Guide
Chapter 14 Religious language
1. God talk
2. Empiricism and the Vienna Circle
3. Symbolic language
Study Guide
Bibliography
Further Reading
Timeline of Philosophers
Glossary
Index

About the Author(s):
Peter Cole is an experienced author, teacher and examiner.

Readership:
A level Philosophy and Religious Studies Students

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