Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

religions are mutually exclusive. What you
that
as your religion determines whether
declare
will have access to certain spaces, be able to
you
certain groups and so on; and you would
attend
be able to change your declared religion
only
every six months. What assumptions
once
terms of the assumptions and consequences
In
these stereotypes and clichés, Stoddard
of
Martin invite us to consider the following
and
we encounter claims about religion.
whenever
the two perspectives below on
Consider
or not religion is universal.
whether
How might the “universality” of religion
1.
claims about whether religion is
affect
What implications does this have for
2.
knowledge?
religious
we should be sceptical of boundaries
While
between concepts, blurring the
constructed
between religion and state authority
line
has brought about serious and
specifically
can do this activity working on your own,
You
a partner or in a small group.
with
Chapter 1, we discuss the map metaphor of
In
and you may have depicted your
knowledge,
as a literal map. How does religious
knowledge
inform your map of the world? How
knowledge
it fit with other domains such as history,
does
science and politics? Do some of these
art,
spill over or cut across other domains
domains
clearly?
more
Batchelor follows what he calls a
Stephen
Buddhism, that acknowledges the
Secular
approach is useful to us beyond this
This
and indeed beyond this course and the
chapter,
Diploma Programme. We can practise on one
IB
commonly made in the context of
statement
terms: Religious
Search
Project Why do
Studies
terms: Religious Studies
Search
Project Return of
Research
consequences. Similarly, the
well-documented
between religion and science has
boundary
controversy, with claims-makers on each
caused
closely policing the boundary. Each of these
side
Where does the scope of religion overlap
1.
the other domains?
with
2. What happens in the overlapping zones?
Where is the boundary particularly clear,
3.
broken or blurry? Describe what
wiggly,
means and why you have drawn or
it
it this way.
imagined
you are doing this exercise with a partner or in
If
group, compare your maps and share what you
a
the importance of doubt and questioning.
as
comprehends Buddhism as a way of being
He
I. Scope
I. Scope
With this claim, who is trying to persuade whom of
what? Who stands to gain and who stands to lose if
the claim is received as true?
(Stoddard, Martin 2017)
about religion are these rules based on?
religion: that religion is universal.
Practising skills: Identifying assumptions and drawing implications
we believe?
created, discovered or revealed?
homo religiosus
I.2 Touchpoints and tensions
issues is investigated below.
For discussion
How would you map out the scope of religion?
identify as significant similarities and differences.
Box 6.1: Is secular Buddhism religion without belief?
141
mystery and vitality of spiritual life as well
and doing, but not necessarily requiring belief,