For 12/3: Faith & Reason

Our last readings of the semester deal with the often uneasy relationship between faith and reason. Whereas Augustine follows the dictum of "faith seeking understanding," Aquinas more clearly divides the two. Can faith and reason happily coexist with one another? Which should take precedence if they come into conflict? And what do such conflicts suggest about the nature of truth itself? From Galileo to Darwin, these questions have routinely entered the public consciousness during the last few centuries and continue to generate a good deal of debate today. What might we add to this discussion?

From 11/19: Born to be Free

Following our dissussion of evil, we considered how Aquinas's Natural Law can steer us towards the good. Returning to Augustine, we then debated whether human freedom and divine foreknowledge can coexist. Though God knows what lies in our future, Augustine nevertheless feels that this is a future that we freely choose. This raises the further question of whether God should have made us free if He knew that we would sin. Much to think about here - and feel "free" to bring in our feature presentation, The Name of the Rose.

For 11/19: Freedom & Foreknowledge

Knowing that Augustine attributes moral evil to the free choice of the will, it now becomes a question of why God created us with a free will in the first place. Did God drop the ball on this one? Does it even make sense to say that God dropped the ball? If not, why did he make us free if he knew what would result? Speaking of which, if he does know how all things ultimately result, are we really free to begin with? So many questions, so little time!

From 11/12: Reconciling with Evil

Now that we've broached Augustine's understanding of evil as the privation of good, it is worth considering whether or not this definition proves satisfactory. Do all our actions aim at the good? Is evil simply a matter of mistaken priorities and inordinate desires? Does are own free will let God "off the hook" as the ultimate cause of evil and suffering in the universe? Let's hear what you're thinking.

For 11/12: Good & Evil

Belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent Being brings with it a number of problems, one of which is the problem of evil. Given the undeniable occurrence of evil and suffering in the world, how might we reconcile this with a belief in God? While Augustine carefully considers this problem in On Free Choice of the Will, Aquinas uses the Natural Law to lead us out of evil and toward the good. Do their doctrines prove satisfactory or does the problem of evil still give us pause?

From 11/5: The God Debate

Now that the dust has settled from Wednesday night's debate, what else might be said? Can reason alone arrive at the existence of God or is faith required? If reason is enough, do we start with the idea of God itself (like Anselm) or must we start from our experience of the world around us (like Augustine and Aquinas)? Though we've said a good deal already, this a chance to sound off once more.

For 11/5: The Existence & Nature of God

Does God exist? If so, how might we prove it? Though Saints Augustine, Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas all believe that rational proofs can be given, they each go about the task in rather different ways. Is one approach better than another? Do any of their arguments prove sufficient or is a definitive proof ultimately impossible? Further, even if we can prove God exists, what can we say about His nature? Who is God and how does He differ from ourselves?