Can Philosophy Explain Religion—or Lead Us to God? | Richard Swinburne

Philosophy and religion intersect in questions about God, belief, and the nature of reality, raising the issue of whether reason can clarify or justify religious claims. Richard Swinburne explores how philosophical analysis approaches theological concepts such as belief, power, and personhood, and how language about God can be understood in literal, analogical, or metaphorical ways. The discussion also considers the long history of philosophy of religion, from medieval thinkers to modern debates, and whether philosophical reasoning can ultimately support belief in God.

Richard Granville Swinburne FBA is an English philosopher. He is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. Over the last 50 years, Swinburne has been a proponent of philosophical arguments for the existence of God.

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Closer To Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

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0:00 Understanding Theological Language
0:20 Literal vs Analogical Meaning of Words About God
1:20 Is God a “Person”? What That Really Means
2:40 How Analogy Shapes Religious Language
4:01 The Development of Philosophy of Religion
6:13 Modern Debates: Hume, Kant, and Today
7:28 Can Philosophy Justify Belief in God?