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A Primal Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion

  • Book
  • © 2006

Overview

Authors:
  1. Arvind Sharma

    1. McGill University, Canada

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  • Provides critical reflections on the epistemology and assumptions of primal religious traditions
  • Takes an interdisciplinary approach to philosophy of religion
  • Is the first and only book of its kind

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxvii
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  2. The Concept of God: Monotheism

    Pages 21-31

  3. Other Concepts of God

    Pages 33-55

  4. Arguments for the Existence of God

    Pages 57-69

  5. Arguments Against the Existence of God

    Pages 71-80

  6. The Problem of Evil

    Pages 81-92

  7. The Concept of Revelation and the Primal Religious Tradition

    Pages 93-109

  8. Theories of Faith

    Pages 111-119

  9. Evidentialism, Foundationalism and Rational Belief

    Pages 121-129

  10. Language and Religious Thought

    Pages 131-138

  11. The Problems of Religious Language

    Pages 139-155

  12. The Problem of Verification

    Pages 157-170

  13. Conflicting Truth Claims of Different Religions

    Pages 171-178

  14. Human Destiny: Immortality and Resurrection

    Pages 179-188

  15. Human Destiny: Karma and Reincarnation

    Pages 189-197

  16. Back Matter

    Pages 199-245
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Keywords

About this book

What am I trying to accomplish through the exercise which I have undertaken, namely, to examine the philosophy of religion in the light of primal religions? If to choose someone else’s expression to characterize one’s own intellectual endeavour is an indication of one’s own lack of imagination, then I must plead guilty to that charge; but not to that of lack of gratitude, for I have to thank Robin Horton for describing, better than I can, what I have attempted in the book. It is an exercise in what he calls “translational understanding. ” I quote him now: By ‘translational understanding’, I mean the kind of understanding of a particular thought-system that results from the successful translation of the language and conceptual system that embody it into terms of a language and conceptual system that currently enjoy ‘world’ status. In talking of translation, of course, I am not just talking of the provision of dictionary equivalents for individual words or sentences. I am talking about finding a ‘world-language’ equivalent for a whole realm of discourse, and of showing, in ‘world-language’ terms, what the point of that realm of discourse is in the life of the people who use it. Translation, in this broader sense, can be very arduous. There may be no realm of discourse in the ‘world’ language that exactly fits the bill. We may have to bend and refashion existing realms, and even redefine their guiding intentions.

Reviews

"Despite the absence of written texts, primal religions have an implicit philosophy. They can offer a fresh perspective on controversial philosophical issues. This study shows how materials of primal religious experience can be incorporated in the categories of modern philosophy of religion. Fourteen chapters offer examples varying from concepts of God and revelation to conflicating truth claims and the problem of human destiny. The book contends that the primal perspective can widen and deepen the horizons of philosophy of religion and enhance the philosophical appreciation of religion as a universal phenomenon." Jacobus Waardenburg, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

"Arvind Sharma makes a perfect case for a cross-cultural philosophy of religion in which all world religions, especially primal religions, could effectively participate in the dialogue and conversation about the relevant issues in the quest for the transcendent and the sacred. The work ultimately may be a prolegomena to the study of philosophy of religion of many primal religious traditions, because it provokes debate and responses from scholars of these traditions. This book will certainly begin a broader conversation in the cross-cultural philosophy of religion." Jacob Olupona, The University of California, Davis, U.S.A.

Authors and Affiliations

  • McGill University, Canada

    Arvind Sharma

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