What Are the Parameters Between Philosophy & Religion?

Religion and philosophy are inherent human developments.

Religion and philosophy are two areas of human activity that highlight the intelligence and moral complexity of people. While they are not synonymous, there is a great deal of overlap between the two. The differences between religion and philosophy are quite stark. The relationship between them, other than their similarities, is that one has often borrowed from the other and thus a further examination is necessary to distinguish the two into separate entities.

What Is Religion?

"Religion" means to be "bound" to faith.

According to teachingaboutreligion.org, "the root of the word 'religion' is usually traced to the Latin religare (re: back, and ligare: to bind)." The object being bound is often a person or group of people by "choice or by commitment to the tenets of a particular faith system," according to teachingaboutreligion.org. The faith system is often intrinsically related to a belief of its Divine, and nonhuman, origin, revealed through the medium of prophecy and designated as an unchanging set of instructions. Religion often obligates action in accordance with belief, while this is not necessarily the case with philosophy.

What Is Philosophy?

Philosophy is thought-intensive.

The word "philosophy" is an amalgamation of two Greek words: "philo," meaning "knowledge," and "sophie," mean "love of." The combination of these words renders "love of knowledge." Philosophy is a broad categorical discipline whereby instruments and formulations of human thought and logic are applied to pressing social, moral, and political subjects. Philosophy is thought-intensive, and its purpose is to arrive at logical conclusions. Being largely theoretical in nature, a philosopher might not necessarily consider himself bound by the thought patterns he formulates.

Philosophical Religions

Jewish philosophy is rooted in the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

While religion and philosophy are not the same thing, there is a large area of overlap. Many religions contain a philosophical approach to life, the world, and existence. In this sense we can use a phrase such as "Jewish" or "Muslim" philosophy. For example, Jewish philosophy thinks about and answers the purpose of life from the vantage point of Judaism. The only difference between this and strict philosophy is that the latter ponders topics from the standpoint that information being examined was divinely revealed.

Religious Philosophies

The philosopher Plato thought a lot about God.

Philosophies often take on certain aspects of religion. For example, a philosophy might begin to resemble a religion in that the individual takes his beliefs for granted as undeniable truths. An earmark of philosophy is the need and attempt to provide logical proofs for any belief, without which it does not command credibility. Many philosophies also touch on traditionally religious questions, such as "what is God," although the flow of logic does not always lead to a course of action related to the line of questioning.

References

• What is Religion?
• Philosophy
• Philosophy of Religion

Resources

• Cult or Religion?
• Ask the Atheists
• The History of Monotheism