Part I, Concept Analysis Essay (800 words)
Due: Saturday, 2/26, 11:59 pm (submit via Canvas).
Direct quotes, footnotes, citations, and bibliography do not count toward your target word count.
Your assignment in this concept analysis essay is to define the concept “faith,” the concept “reason,” and to develop a general account of the relationship between faith and reason—as those concepts and their relationship are understood within the Catholic intellectual tradition. This kind of analysis is sometimes called “analytic definition.”
The scope and focus of your research should be limited to the required readings listed below (you are permitted, but not required, to consult the additional supplementary materials listed below). Although the specific approach, concern, and aim of each author varies, for the purposes of this assignment, you may assume that these texts faithfully represent the Catholic outlook. Because you will be articulating stipulative definitions and descriiptions that are a unique synthesis of what you find in these specific authors, it will be unnecessary and possibly counterproductive to consult dictionary definitions or encyclopedia entries on “faith,” “reason,” or “the relationship between faith and reason.” If you do so, every resource consulted must be included in your bibliography and what you learned should be appropriately cited.
Read the Texts Carefully, Asking Questions: Before you begin writing your essay, you will need to have a thorough understanding of the assigned texts. Read and review them slowly, focusing your attention and notes on the concepts you want to understand and any related terms, concepts, or descriiptions that may be helpful. Underline, highlight, and take notes as you read.
Identify and Organize the Defining Attributes: When you’ve completed your reading and review of the texts, begin organizing your observations into an order that makes sense to you. To do this, determine the defining attributes of each concept, keeping track of characteristics that regularly appear. These characteristics will become the critical or defining attributes of the concept. Important attributes include, for example: what it is; what it isn’t; what it includes or does not include; what it seems like; common points of confusion or misunderstanding; where it comes from, how it works, what it is for, etc.
Good definitions of these concepts and a descriiption of their relationship will answer the question: What do Catholics mean when they say the word “faith” and the word “reason,” and how do Catholics understand the relationship between faith and reason. Feel free to provide examples and descriiptions to help your reader understand the definitions and descriiption you develop.
Required Readings:
Clayton, Two Wings: Integrating Faith and Reason, Ch 1-6.
Bauerschmidt, “Theology: Fides et ratio,” “The God of Scripture,” and “The Grammar of Divinity,” Introduction to Catholic Theology. Pages 7-12, 29-35, 50-56.
White, The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism, “The Catholic Intellectual Life,” “Revelation and Reason,” “The One God,” and “Rational Arguments for the Existence of God.” Pages 1-7, 8-22, 54-66.
McCabe, “Is Belief Wishful Thinking?” and “Doubt is not Unbelief,” Faith Within Reason. Pages 1-16, 33-40.