Why ask religion questions in the philosophy section?

Question

This goes also for questions about the afterlife, and so on... Philosophy has nothing to do with religion, and shouldn't...

Is it because you can't get objective answers in the religion section?

What is the point of philosophy if it is used to serve the interests of religion? Doesn't that take away its integrity?

I'm genuinely interested in serious answers. Sorry if you've been offended by this; try and answer me anyway, I'd like to hear what you have to say.
Thanks

Answer 1

I think you've hit upon one of the big reasons, namely the lack of objective answers to be found in the religious section. Perhaps people are hoping for answers here that require a bit of actual thinking rather than regurgitating the same old religious dogmas. I used to hang out in the religion section for a while, but couldn't take it anymore. Too many insipid answers by Jesus Junkies and Bible Borg.

Another reason could be that some people may think that questions about the afterlife or existence/nonexistence of a god are questions of metaphysics and thus fair game for the philosophy section. I don't know if I would agree with that, but I can't entirely disagree with it either.

Yet another reason is that the philosophy section just seems to be a general catch-all for odd questions that don't fit very well in other sections. It would be nice if the philosophy section didn't have all these irrelevant questions in it, but some of them are intellectually stimulating nonetheless.

Answer 2

Philosophy does not mean the study of life. It means the love and study of wisdom. And there is a separate Answers area for people who want to question or discuss religion. As a Philosophy major, I can tell you that about half the people in my intro level classes had no idea that Philosophy was not the same as Religion. Most of them thought the class was a Comparative Religion class, where we would debate which religion was "correct." It is very difficult to discuss religious matters in a Philosophy forum, as PHL uses logic and reason, and Religion uses faith and belief. The reason so many people ask religious questions here is that they really don't understand the difference. Either that, or they ask them here for the same reason they ask them on the Religion board - they are quite certain they know the correct answer and want to argue or convert others.

Much later: Okay. Let me rephrase. Ideally, philosophers use logic and reason. Often, religious people use faith and belief.
Of couse religion and philosophy are connected and probably each is necessary to the other. However, they are not the SAME. I personally don't care if religious questions are on this forum, but I would hope that the asker is aware that if he/she is looking for spiritual guidance, he would probably better off on the other forum.

Answer 3

You might need to loosen up. Philosophy is the study of life, and that includes everything. A person could ask a football question in the philosophy section if he thought he wanted a "deeper" answer. There's nothing wrong with it. You may be on the mark about the fact that there is more objectivity in the Philosophy section than in the Religion section; that is probably why people do it.

Added later: I stand firm on my conviction that philosophy is the study of life (versus wisdom). Wisdom cannot stand alone and is only reached through life experiences.

Answer 4

Sure, religion is not only about philosophy and philosophy is not all about religion, but nevertheless, religions are full of philosophical questions. If a Christian asks "how can you prove there is a God", of course it is a philosophical question (however, I personally think you can't find an answer to that question, but I need philosophy to tell you why). If a buddhist asks "what is emptiness" or "what's the difference between absolute and relative truth", of course it's a philosophical question. And so on.

The influence of philosophy on religion is huge - study for example the influence of Greek philosophy on Christianity and Islam, and conversely, the influence of religions on philosophy is huge. You cannot understand the difference between Chinese, Indian, Arab and European philosophy without understanding Buddhist philosophy, Daoist philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Jewish philosophy, and so on. Philosophy without religious influences might exist in some limited areas of Western thinking, but Western thinking is a very small part of world philosophy.

If you study religious philosophy from different religions, you will find they give a lot of new approaches (i e new for you) to almost every single problem discussed in modern philosophy, whether you like that approach or not. Philosophy needs different approaches to its issues. If you only listen to one kind of approaches (secular, atheist, empirical, or whatever) you will not even understand that approach fully.

Likewise, a religious person who wants to understand his own religion should always listen to other views of the same problem (secular philosophies and other religions') in order to see the issue from all angles, and find why his own religions chooses this or that approach to the issue. That's a very good reason to ask religious (philosophical) questions in the philosophy section - in the religious section, you will hardly get any interesting philosophical insights into your own religious thinking.

Answer 5

I agree that the religious questions, should be asked in the religious section of Yahoo Answers.

However, I disagree that philosophy has nothing to do with religion. If you believe that, then you either don't understand philosophy or you don't understand religion. Philosophy is different than empirical science and religion, but there are many connections to both.

Answer 6

I accept as true with you that maximum human beings do not even quite understand what they advise via the be conscious philosophy. it quite is generally conflated with faith or considered only as one's subjective thoughts bout existence. in spite of the undeniable fact that what you're saying isn't totally real. have you ever examine Plato? The Phaedo? Is Philosophy not something extra desirable than the "artwork of dying and of being lifeless?" And Socrates final words echoe a similar topic "we owe a cock to the god." additionally for somebody like Thomas Aquinas, or the Catholic custom frequently, see philosophy because of the fact the handmaid of theology, theology picking up the place reason can now not bypass. additionally Hegel.."Philosophy and Theology have a similar concern remember, specifically the Absolutel."

Answer 7

Religion is a Philosophic question generally termed Theology, that is to say Theology is a Philosophic subject. Even more Existentialism, Ontology, Epistemology and Metaphysics all touch the religious question at some point.

Your problem is that too often people who are religious ask their questions in a non-philosophic way and so presume certian ideas are a given, which shows their ignorance of the nature of philosophic inquiry & analysis.

Answer 8

I think because there is a branch of philosophy called ethics and ethics is the study of morality and who looks at morality? Religous types.

Not to mention, some questions in theology and philosophy share similarities. Seriously--I think someone yesterday wondered if Socrates had influenced Christ.

And then there is this--have you been to religion and theology section? People are just nasty over there. I think this section gets some deeper thinkers and less hatred and so they do it.

But it obviously upsets the "real" philosophers.

Answer 9

Philosophy is love of wisdom and search after knowledge
I think to get the knowledge of a subject on religion you have to ask few questions.
Integrity has nothing to do with Philosophy.

Answer 10

Because Eastern Religions, (Buddhism, Lao Tse, Hinduism, etc), are considered Philosophies. (thought). Check out any Philosophy Department at a University and you'll see this is true!