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What do we really mean when you use the term 'God' or the 'divine' or ‘soul’? This module considers the origins of such terms in the philosophical realm and how the concept has been understood by such philosophers as Plato, Descartes, and Hume.

What does it mean to believe in God? What does it mean when someone says they believe in a divine being and/or an immortal soul? How does such belief affect our attitudes towards truth or morality? Does it matter if belief in God is seemingly irrational? Where does our concept of God come from? This module will begin with the ancient Greeks, who engage in speculation over the existence of the soul, before moving on to Descartes who links a belief in the existence of the soul with the existence of God. Hume's scepticism will then be examined, bringing us then into the twentieth century with existentialist responses and the rise of the new 'militant atheists' as well as theistic responses to this.

A student passing this module should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the major issues of philosophical, religious and ethical debate in discussions as to the nature and existence of God, the soul and other key issues in the philosophy of religion.

1. Identify, analyse and communicate the principles and concepts within the field of philosophy of religion, and to recognise competing perspectives.

1. Show a familiarity with the required terminology.

1. Identify the theoretical frameworks underlying the religious, philosophical and religious issues and to begin to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

1. Abstract, analyse and construct logical argument, employing the techniques of formal and informal methods of reasoning as appropriate, together with an ability to recognise any relevant fallacies as well as identify common persuasive stratagems that cannot withstand philosophical scrutiny and demonstrate how they weaken the arguments that employ them.

1. Apply a variety of critical methods of study to the texts.

1. Possesses a range of ICT skills in order to gather, evaluate and synthesise different types of information

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.