Metaconitive Reflection - Irish, Emmaleigh
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School
California State University, Fullerton *
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Course
303
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
Pages
3
Uploaded by msemmaleighirish
Emmaleigh Irish PHIL 105 F Dr. Roberts 6 July 2023 Dear Future Student, In PHIL 105, you will learn an abundance of new information. While it may feel overwhelming at times, this course introduces you to a deeper understanding of the belief systems upon which our world functions. When you think about it, that is an amazing feat of knowledge. In addition to the material being extremely interesting, the most important things you will learn surround discovering what it means to study religion academically, how to communicate ideas summoned from this course with peers, and how to integrate these studies into your everyday life. Each of these aspects are important because they impact your approach to working through the class and gleaning as much as possible from the course. I’ve found myself with an increased understanding of the everyday life that surrounds me after taking PHIL 105. One of the first readings of the course is Russell McCutcheon’s “What is the Academic Study of Religion”. This was the reading that I found most insightful because it was a solitary reminder of how to approach my studies throughout this course. One of the most memorable things to note was, when studying religion through an academic lens you must “... search(s) for observable, documentable similarities and differences without making normative judgments concerning the similarities or differences were good or bad, right or wrong, original or derivative, primitive or modern” (McCutcheon 1). McCutcheon’s explanation of this was helpful
for me by assisting in differentiating between the academic and non-academic study of religion and highlighting the analytical reasoning necessary as opposed to an individualized approach. I also thought that each chapter of the book was particularly astute because it gave you an overview of each religion we studied in a clear and unbiased manner. Author Steven Prothero examines each religion within the textbook through what he introduces as "the four-part model”. This method analyzes religion by pointing out that religious communities identify something as “the human problem”, create a solution to that problem, promote techniques for achieving that solution, and offer exemplars who assist in guiding followers toward the solution (Prothero 20). For me, this simplified the ability to grasp religions quickly. I know it may be easy to neglect chapter readings or even regard the textbook for some courses as dispensable, but this textbook is truly necessary to succeed in this course. Before enrolling in this course, I had little prior knowledge of religion. This textbook is mainly responsible for my newfound understanding of not one religion, but multiple religions across the globe. With the plethora of information provided in this course, it is easy to glance over things. While learning about so many beneficial topics during my five weeks of studying religion, I think that the reactions of society to religions and the idea of atheism remain somewhat unclear to me. This could be combated by referencing the textbook and the additional optional readings for this course. I feel that it would be much easier to address these questions now as the lens of my curiosity is narrower. I also plan on using additional resources like peer-reviewed essays and educational videos to expand upon these questions. Nonetheless, my understanding of religion has grown beyond my expectations for this class. I learned about history such as the establishment of the Second Temple, which not only introduced the synagogue as a place of worship but also encouraged the gathering and study of sacred texts that are utilized within
Judaism today (Prothero 176). I learned about essentialism, which can sometimes promote incorrect generalizations about the “essence” of religions and attribute to misinformation. When studying Buddhism, I learned that a common generalization is that Buddhism is a peaceful religion. Throughout my study of this religious tradition, I was able to discover the falsity of this statement by uncovering a Buddhist scripture stating that Buddha supposedly killed a bandit that was planning on killing 500 merchants in a previous life (Prothero 125). This revelation led to an almost universal understanding of all religions; each religion is very diverse and contains the possibility of heterodoxy. This taught me that the study of religion is never complete, and like many things, there will always be something to learn. If anything, this course promoted the most curiosity I have experienced in recent years. Given all that I’ve shared with you, I would first advise you to be open-minded. As I’ve said many previously, this course may feel overwhelming at times because of the bountiful amount of knowledge you examine and gain. Don’t let this aspect of the course deter you from success. Do not be afraid to go back and re-read or re-assess topics that may confuse you. In the process of talking to peers, utilize their understanding of the material to help clear up questions you may have. Keep in mind that you are approaching your study of religion from an academic perspective. By not allowing your personal opinions to restrict your takeaways, you will learn so much more from this class. Lastly, try to apply what you are learning about in this class in your everyday life. If you know someone who practices Hinduism, Christianity, etc., ask them about what you are learning. Do they follow the doctrines that you are studying or forge their own path in their beliefs? Starting to incorporate this into your everyday life makes learning fun. If you follow my advice, not only will you find success in the course, but you will learn about the exciting diversity that exists within religious communities around the world.
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