RLG395H1

Is Religion Useful?

While some philosophers count truth and falsehood decisive when evaluating religion, others regard that focus as beside the most crucial point, namely, whether religion is good or bad for us. In other words, the reasons that they cite in favor of or against religious beliefs, rituals, associations, etc. are instead its social, ethical, or psychological utility or disutility. This course looks at these philosophical debates about whether and how religion might be useful to us in our individual and collective lives.