Philosophize This!

Episode #223 ... Religion and the duck-rabbit - Kyoto School pt. 3

Mar 3, 2025

Dive into the fascinating relationship between philosophy and religion, illustrated by the duck-rabbit optical illusion. Explore the complexities of defining religion and the need for a nuanced understanding. Discover Frederick Schelling's thoughts on the evolution of Christianity and its relevance today. The discussion emphasizes the importance of contemplation and the coexistence of the sacred and mundane, revealing insights into the evolution of religious consciousness. This thought-provoking conversation encourages deeper engagement with both realms.

34:48

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Quick takeaways

The duck-rabbit metaphor illustrates how different perspectives shape our understanding of reality, emphasizing the potential for non-dualistic perception.

Nishitani highlights the necessity of integrating philosophy and religion for a holistic grasp of human experience and existential truths.

Deep dives

Exploring the Duck Rabbit Metaphor

The duck rabbit serves as a metaphor for understanding different experiential framings of reality. It illustrates how individuals can perceive the same situation differently, with one person seeing a duck and another seeing a rabbit. This duality highlights how societal influences shape our perspectives, often making it challenging to see beyond established interpretations. The idea suggests that just as one can train themselves to see both animals in the image, individuals can learn to perceive reality through non-dualistic lenses, enriching their understanding of the world.

Intro

5min

Intertwining Religion and Philosophy

11min

Quieting the Mind: Embracing Contemplation and Reality

4min

Philosophy and Religion: A Harmonious Coexistence

12min

Exploring the Evolution of Religious Consciousness

3min

Today we talk about the relationship between philosophy and religion. We talk about the duck-rabbit as a metaphor that may have something useful to teach us about the way we experience reality. We talk about the enormous difficulty of fully addressing the question: what is religion? We talk about Schelling's historical view of revelation and its connection to a possible new era of Christian religious practice. Hope you love it! :)

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