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A nook for philosophy in Madison
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Religion and spirituality have firm ties to philosophy. All three share an interest in the nature of God, the nature of the world, the nature of human beings, and how these things relate to one another.
To an extent, contemporary culture camouflages the kinship. Philosophy tends to be associated with the strict application logic to things that can be meaningfully contemplated. On some accounts, this would exclude God, and indeed, anything that does not take a tangible form. Although theologians are by no means strangers in the world of logic, they often also arm themselves with other forms of knowing such as faith, intuition, and revelation.
This divide was much less pronounced in the past. The medieval period saw scholarly works that were at once philosophical and religious, evident in St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Such partnerships witnessed uneasy times as well. For example, Spinoza is one of the most philosophical thinkers in our history, yet his works concentrated highly on religious topics. His work eventually led to him being regarded as a heretic, and he was excommunicated.
The split between religions and philosophy took a formal part during the Enlightenment period, when criticism for the rule of authority found a wider audience, and the methods of observation and experience promised a better road to truth.
But this does not change the history of the partnership between religion and philosophy, nor does it prevent philosophy from being relevant to those interested in religion, especially those who are willing to entertain difficult questions. As such, becoming a part of a philosophy discussion group might provide an outlet and a source of stimulation that is less available in some religious discussion groups.
A local philosophy discussion group, known as Socrates Café, meets every Monday evening at the charming Avol’s Bookstore in downtown Madison, WI. Participation might provide a new angle for thinking about spirituality, or it might spark an interest in an entirely new topic.
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