7 - Mathesis

Summary

Metamorphousthe tē anakainōsei tou noös (‘Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’)

St Paul

Religion as a Way of Life and the Nature of Philosophy

Philosophical inquiry in any area has to be done in a way that is sensitive to the nature of the subject matter, and it should have become apparent at many points in the previous chapters that this is particularly true in the philosophy of religion. The habits of thought that philosophers develop inevitably predispose them to focus on the analysis and evaluation of propositions, the truth or falsity of beliefs, and the degree to which those beliefs are supported by argument and evidence. All this is perfectly valid, and valuable; but a proper philosophical understanding of religion requires us to take account of much more. To be religious is not just to espouse certain doctrines; it is to follow a certain way of life and to take up certain commitments. It is in part a project of formation, of forming or reforming the self, a process of askēsis (training) or of mathēsis (learning), to use two ancient Greek terms. The latter term when translated into Latin becomes disciplina (discipline), a word whose connotations are perhaps more informative for the modern reader. It suggests not just the theoretical acquisition of knowledge, but a structured programme supported by rules and practices.