No description available.

Thesis advisor: Arthur Madigan / This dissertation is based on the claim that Taylor, in his immense philosophical writings, looks for the unifying forces, principles, and those desires in the human agent that can transform modern partial comprehension of reality into a new collage, i.e. a deeper and more meaningful picture of who we are and what is most essential for us. I argue that Taylor in his reflection on modernity adopts Hegel's concern for how to unite two ideals - radical freedom and expressive fullness. In search for an answer to Hegel's concern, Taylor repeatedly comes to the same conclusion. Adequate understanding of modernity, moral sources of modern identity, human agency, and human language, requires insertion in its context; therefore, the description of time, space, and other factors that condition modernity, is crucial. There are some aspects in Taylor's reflection on modernity that either preclude or impede the modern agent's search for fulfillment and freedom (i.e., reduction of the human sciences to the principles of the natural sciences), or open neglected or undiscovered perspectives for investigation, and offer new answers (i.e., challenge of achieving peaceful coexistence in a multicultural society). Underneath these aspects of modernity, Taylor perceives human desire to be free, authentic, and fulfilled. In the recent publications, Taylor brings into focus the closed horizons of modernity in the field of religion, especially the mainstream secularization theory. As long as modernity considers religion and spirituality as unimportant and pushes them aside from our daily life, it effectively closes off some possible answers regarding agent's fulfilment, flourishing, and freedom. It does not mean that every form of religious practice and belief brings us automatically to the goal; some might be narrow and exclusive as well, and therefore have to be examined in turn. Taylor's reflection unfolds the answer to Hegel's concern only gradually. In order to be free, fulfilled, and have a meaningful life, no dimension of human existence can be excluded, all dimensions remain to be examined. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Philosophy.

Thesis advisor: Thomas Groome / Western culture idealizes the quest for authenticity as a significant life project. This culture of authenticity is characterized by the understanding that it is important for each person to search for their unique life expression and purpose, even as larger social, political, religious, and other such frameworks are generally suspected of being in conflict with or in opposition to the truly authentic. Further, the forces of secularism and pluralism have allowed for a wide dissemination of varied and often conflicting views about what constitutes an authentic way of being in the world. Within such a secular-pluralistic milieu, the prevalence of different and often competing views is particularly acute in regards to contemporary images and concepts of God, particularly as these relate to the (post)modern quest for authenticity. For instance, while our culture's widespread suspicion that larger religious frameworks inhibit authenticity has in part led to a significant rise in the numbers of those unaffiliated with any religious tradition, a majority of the unaffiliated still claim to believe in God. This somewhat paradoxical phenomenon can be traced back to the secular-pluralist profusion of various understandings and expressions regarding the meaning of "God." Within these circumstances, "authentic" relation to the divine is often seen as a highly individualized and even subjective concern; as something having to do with what best expresses a person's own feelings and inner personal world regarding the unique meaning of their life. This dissertation posits that Catholic religious and theological education needs to take seriously the importance our culture accords to the quest for authenticity and to actively work against its individualistic, expressivist, and subjectivist tendencies. Unmasking the illusion that authenticity requires dismissing larger frameworks, such as religious tradition, I posit that it is only within larger frameworks that we are able to discern the more from the less authentic. In terms of images and conceptions of God then, I argue that a Catholic education for today requires retrieving the Catholic Intellectual Tradition's discipline of philosophical theology so as to provide students with the resources necessary for discerning the true, living God from among the jumble of ideas and images on offer within secular-pluralism. Ch. 1 provides an historical overview of the culture of authenticity and in the process defines the latter and its relation to secular-pluralism and to the proliferation of images and conceptions of God. Philosophical theology is introduced as potentially necessary component of a Catholic education that seeks to help students discern the authentic, or true God. Ch. 2 takes up the question of authenticity as related to conflicting ideas about the truth of existence and in this light offers an understanding of truth as engaged, relational, and non-absolute. This understanding grounds the contemporary philosophical theological approach presented in chapters four and five. First, however, Ch. 3 looks at the thought of Thomas Aquinas as standard for the field of philosophical theology and therefore as necessary for (creatively) retrieving for its usefulness today. Chapter 4 begins the process of retrieval by outlining the ways in which W. Norris Clarke's Thomistically based "Inner" and "Outer" Paths to God provide elements for a contemporary philosophical theology. Ch. 5 continues in this vein as it turns to the work of Elizabeth Johnson to elucidate the socioeconomic, political, and cultural aspects that must be attended to by any contemporary philosophical theology. Ch. 6 proposes Thomas Groome's Shared Christian Praxis approach to Christian religious education as theoretically and practically compatible with a contemporary philosophical theology and therefore as the most suitable pedagogical approach to educating from and for faith. I conclude the dissertation with a brief reflection on what lessons philosophical theology has to offer to Catholic religious and theological education as a whole. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

No description available.

Charles Taylor writes that identity emerges from the reflection upon, and articulation of ones lived experience. This account of identity precludes psychology from taking a natural science approach to the study of identity, or the self. Psychology has emerged within secular society, and the relation between psychology and religion is examined here. This examination clarifies the role of psychology as an authority on identity. This thesis proposes that the role of psychology is to promote articulacy about the ideal of authenticity. In this way, psychology can address problems arising from individualism in modernity, and can serve as an authority on identity, complementing the other possible authorities on identity present in secular society, including religion.

Thesis (M.A.)--Acadia University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves nnn-nnn). Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

<p> The dissertation examines an intersection of ethics, epistemology, politics, and religious consciousness in the work of Canadian political theorist Charles Taylor. The goal of the study is to bring to light the central or even unifying role of theism in Taylor's broader philosophical project. More specifically, the dissertation speaks to the constructive moral and anthropological-as opposed to any merely ideological-role that theism plays in Taylor's thought, focusing especially on the conception of transcendence that underwrites his political and ethical theory. A basic claim of the dissertation is that Taylor's conception of transcendence, while remaining attentive to the demands of religious pluralism, has a kenotic shape that gives rise to an ethics that emphasizes enfleshed enactments of agape.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Charles Taylor é um dos principais e mais influentes filósofos contemporâneos. No campo da política, o debate liberal-comunitário é o tema em que suas contribuições são mais conhecidas. Entretanto, o estudo da reflexão política de Taylor tem sido parcial. No registro teórico do debate liberal-comunitário, sua assim chamada crítica comunitarista é, muitas vezes, tomada como uma resposta normativa a possíveis equívocos ou limitações dos ideais morais do liberalismo. A conclusão mais comum é que o pensamento tayloriano se contrapõe à tradição liberal, sendo por vezes identificado ora com o comunitarismo, ora com o republicanismo, ora com o multiculturalismo. A reflexão de Taylor, contudo, se ocupa de um outro registro, mais amplo: o desenvolvimento de concepções de identidade e de bem baseadas em argumentos que não são normativos, mas sim ontológicos. Nesse registro, o objetivo de sua obra não é questionar os ideais morais do liberalismo, mas reconfigurá-los num contexto ontológico específico, bem como ampliar o leque de bens moral e politicamente relevantes para as sociedades contemporâneas. O objetivo dessa dissertação é o de justamente explorar a estrutura conceitual do que poderíamos chamar de individualismo holista, uma tipologia de pensamento político que, embora defensora normativamente da liberdade, pluralismo e autonomia, guarda uma profunda preocupação com a natureza irredutivelmente social da ação e dos bens humanos. Espera-se que a partir dessa chave de leitura sejamos capazes de uma abordagem mais sistemática da reflexão política de Charles Taylor, articulando suas diferentes e fragmentadas intervenções no debate político num quadro mais amplo, referenciado também às discussões sobre a natureza da agência, do self e da modernidade. Ao final, sugerimos que o autor canadense se move teoricamente muito mais próximo daquilo que se considera uma tradição liberal de pensamento do que sua classificação usual permitiria imaginar. / Charles Taylor is one of the most important and influential contemporary philosophers. In the political field, the liberal-communitarian debate is the theme where his contributions are most recognized. Nevertheless, the study of Taylors political thought has been limited. In the liberal-communitarian theorical debate arena, his so called 6 communitarian criticism has many times been taken as an advocacy answer to possible mistakes or limitations of liberalisms moral ideals. The most common conclusion is that the taylorian thought opposes itself to the liberal tradition and it has been identified with communitarianism theories, republicanism, or even with multiculturalism. Taylors reflection, however, is concerned with another more ample aim: the development of identity and good conceptions based in ontological arguments. The purpose of his work is not to question liberalistic moral ideals, but to reconfigure those in a specific ontological background, as well as to amplify the set of allowable moral and political relevant conceptions of goods to contemporary society. The intent of this paper is indeed to explore the conceptual structure of what we could call holistic individualism, a political thinking typology which although concerned with the advocacy of freedom, pluralism and autonomy also continues to take into account the inextricable social nature of agency and human goods conception. Hopefully, with this interpretation key we will be able to put in place a most systematic account of Charles Taylors political reflection, articulating its different and sparse contributions in the political debate in a more comprehensive landscape which will be referenced to his agency, self and modernity discussions. In the end, we suggest that the Canadian author is closer to what we could call a liberal tradition thinking than his usual classification would allow.

Charles Taylor é um dos principais e mais influentes filósofos contemporâneos. No campo da política, o debate liberal-comunitário é o tema em que suas contribuições são mais conhecidas. Entretanto, o estudo da reflexão política de Taylor tem sido parcial. No registro teórico do debate liberal-comunitário, sua assim chamada crítica comunitarista é, muitas vezes, tomada como uma resposta normativa a possíveis equívocos ou limitações dos ideais morais do liberalismo. A conclusão mais comum é que o pensamento tayloriano se contrapõe à tradição liberal, sendo por vezes identificado ora com o comunitarismo, ora com o republicanismo, ora com o multiculturalismo. A reflexão de Taylor, contudo, se ocupa de um outro registro, mais amplo: o desenvolvimento de concepções de identidade e de bem baseadas em argumentos que não são normativos, mas sim ontológicos. Nesse registro, o objetivo de sua obra não é questionar os ideais morais do liberalismo, mas reconfigurá-los num contexto ontológico específico, bem como ampliar o leque de bens moral e politicamente relevantes para as sociedades contemporâneas. O objetivo dessa dissertação é o de justamente explorar a estrutura conceitual do que poderíamos chamar de individualismo holista, uma tipologia de pensamento político que, embora defensora normativamente da liberdade, pluralismo e autonomia, guarda uma profunda preocupação com a natureza irredutivelmente social da ação e dos bens humanos. Espera-se que a partir dessa chave de leitura sejamos capazes de uma abordagem mais sistemática da reflexão política de Charles Taylor, articulando suas diferentes e fragmentadas intervenções no debate político num quadro mais amplo, referenciado também às discussões sobre a natureza da agência, do self e da modernidade. Ao final, sugerimos que o autor canadense se move teoricamente muito mais próximo daquilo que se considera uma tradição liberal de pensamento do que sua classificação usual permitiria imaginar. / Charles Taylor is one of the most important and influential contemporary philosophers. In the political field, the liberal-communitarian debate is the theme where his contributions are most recognized. Nevertheless, the study of Taylors political thought has been limited. In the liberal-communitarian theorical debate arena, his so called 6 communitarian criticism has many times been taken as an advocacy answer to possible mistakes or limitations of liberalisms moral ideals. The most common conclusion is that the taylorian thought opposes itself to the liberal tradition and it has been identified with communitarianism theories, republicanism, or even with multiculturalism. Taylors reflection, however, is concerned with another more ample aim: the development of identity and good conceptions based in ontological arguments. The purpose of his work is not to question liberalistic moral ideals, but to reconfigure those in a specific ontological background, as well as to amplify the set of allowable moral and political relevant conceptions of goods to contemporary society. The intent of this paper is indeed to explore the conceptual structure of what we could call holistic individualism, a political thinking typology which although concerned with the advocacy of freedom, pluralism and autonomy also continues to take into account the inextricable social nature of agency and human goods conception. Hopefully, with this interpretation key we will be able to put in place a most systematic account of Charles Taylors political reflection, articulating its different and sparse contributions in the political debate in a more comprehensive landscape which will be referenced to his agency, self and modernity discussions. In the end, we suggest that the Canadian author is closer to what we could call a liberal tradition thinking than his usual classification would allow.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-04-27T13:20:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 cicerocezariodacostaneto.pdf: 867412 bytes, checksum: f0d5476993614323b9e05ab0705da393 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-05-02T00:59:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 cicerocezariodacostaneto.pdf: 867412 bytes, checksum: f0d5476993614323b9e05ab0705da393 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T00:59:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 cicerocezariodacostaneto.pdf: 867412 bytes, checksum: f0d5476993614323b9e05ab0705da393 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Esta dissertação oferece um estudo sobre o conceito de esfera pública desenvolvido por Charles Taylor em relação com o que se tem entendido por Teologia Pública no Brasil na atualidade. Através de investigação bibliográfica, o primeiro capítulo faz considerações centrais acerca do pensamento de Taylor sobre esfera pública, concentrado, sobretudo, no quarto capítulo de sua obra magna Uma Era Secular o colocando em diálogo com autores como Jürgen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Nicolás Panotto, Paul Tillich e Rubem Alves. O segundo capítulo situa o debate sobre a Teologia Pública, do qual Rudolf von Sinner é o principal expoente, no contexto brasileiro atual e relaciona o conceito de Teologia Pública trabalhado no Brasil com os desenvolvidos na América do Norte e na África do Sul, bem como com a Teologia da Libertação e o protestantismo histórico. A partir disto, o último capítulo busca mostrar a atualidade, relevância e contribuições da reflexão acerca da Teologia Pública desde o conceito de esfera pública tayloriana para o debate a respeito da relação entre religião e o Estado democrático brasileiro. / This essay offers a study about the concept of public sphere developed by Charles Taylor in relation with what has been understood as Public Theology in Brazil today. Through bibliographic research, the first chapter make central considerations about the thought of Taylor about the public sphere, concentrated mainly in the fourth chapter of his magnum opus A Secular Age, placing it in dialogue with authors such as Jürgen Habermas, Hannah Arendt, Nicolás Panotto, Paul Tillich and Rubem Alves. The second chapter situates the debate about the Public Theology, which Rudolf von Sinner is the leading exponent in the current Brazilian context, and relates the concept of Public Theology worked in Brasil with that developed in North America and South Africa, as well with Liberation Theology and the historic protestantism. Finaly, the last chapter seeks to show the actuality, relevance and contribution of the reflection about Public Theology with the concept taylorian of public sphere for the debate about the relationship between religion and the brazilian democratic State.