The key difference between religion and philosophy is that religion is the belief in the supreme power and worshipping it as the creator and controller of the universe without reasoning whereas philosophy is a pursuit of wisdom by intellectual search and logical reasoning.
Have you ever wondered about the difference between religion and philosophy? As you know, religion and philosophy are two different topics altogether. Religion is all about practices and customs whereas philosophy is all about metaphysics. A religion preaches its followers what they should do, what they should not do. Often a religion presents rewards and punishments. An example is the belief that people who do good go to heaven while those who sin go to hell. On the other hand, a philosophy searches and questions to get the right and logical answers. Philosophy does not accept everything as a religion does unless it has a logical reason behind it.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Religion
3. What is Philosophy
4. Side by Side Comparison – Religion vs Philosophy in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Religion?
Religion is a belief; it has a set of code of conduct, principles, ethics and morals to follow in one’s life. There are several religions in the world. It only means that people of the world follow different kinds of religion that frame different sets of principles, ethics, morals and codes of conduct to follow for the people that belong to them.
Thus you have Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism to mention some of the religions of the world. Each of these religions prescribes a separate set of principles, ethics and morals along with customs to follow by the people of the particular religion.
Religion insists on the performance of rituals. On the other hand, if you are religious you cannot do away with the performance of rituals and rites. They become part and parcel of your life.
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy, on the other hand, speaks about the realization of the supreme truth. It deals with the topic of life after death. It speaks about the existence of the soul and life hereafter. Philosophy establishes the divine nature of man. It questions the absolute truth that each soul is potentially divine. This is philosophy associated with religion. Philosophy can also mean, according to the Oxford English dictionary, ‘the study of the theoretical basis of a particular branch of knowledge or experience.’ An example is the philosophy of science. While religion insists on the performance of rituals, philosophy does not emphasize the ritualistic aspect of life. Philosophy is, in fact, construed to be a way of thinking. This is the reason why philosophers are called thinkers whereas propagators of religions are called leaders. If you are philosophical then you need not perform rituals and other rites connected with religion.
What is the Difference Between Religion and Philosophy?
Religion is the belief in the supreme power and worshipping it as the creator and controller of the universe without reasoning whereas philosophy is a pursuit of wisdom by intellectual search and logical reasoning. This is the key difference between religion and philosophy. Moreover, religions discipline people through a set of code of conduct, principles and ethics whereas philosophy relies on moral self-discipline. Moreover, religion is all about practices and customs whereas philosophy is all about metaphysics. In addition, religion insists on the performance of rituals whereas philosophy does not emphasize the ritualistic aspect of life.
Summary – Religion vs Philosophy
Religion is the belief in the supreme power and worshipping it as the creator and controller of the universe without reasoning whereas philosophy is a pursuit of wisdom by intellectual search and logical reasoning. This is the basic difference between religion and philosophy. Hence, it can be said that religion and philosophy are mutually exclusive and they cannot co-exist.
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6. Do you agree with Socrates’ statement ‘ignorance is only evil’?
Your definition is not quite accurate: “Religion is a belief in a supreme power and worship of it as the creator and controller of the universe without reasoning.” Without reasoning?
Catholic philosophers questioned and applied philosophical principles for thousands of years–See Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Scotus. As did Jewish philosophers: Maimonides etc., and Islamic philosophers: Averroes etc.
Although philosophical ideas are found, of course, in the Bible‑-monotheism itself is such an idea‑‑philosophy proper, in the sense of a systematic examination of the teachings of a religion in the light of what was considered to be pure human reasoning, did not emerge fully until the Middle Ages, although it was anticipated by Philo of Alexandria [died 50 CE].
Christianity is philosophically different from the other Abrahamic traditions. Within Christianity itself, there are many different religions: Roman Catholicsm, Coptics, Russian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Episcapalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Mormon, Evangelical. They may share an overall philosophy but differ in practice and beliefs completely.
“, , , whereas philosophy is a pursuit of wisdom by intellectual search and logical reasoning. Philosophy of religion questions the very existence of the supreme power.” No. Philosophy is philosophy. Read Aquinas. Read Maimonides. They are brilliant.
“Religions discipline the people through a set of code of conduct, principles and ethics whereas philosophy relies on the moral self-discipline.” Very sophomoric.
i think what the writer really means is religion being belief without initial reasoning as in reference to the fact that religion believes before seeking for reason while philosophy seeks for reasons for believing.
“religion’, a fraud, an “ism”, a lie, as are all religions “isms”, hated by God.” social-ism, zion-ism, judah-ism, athe-ism, pagan-ism, heathen-ism, all of Satan-ism of Bubba, Satan, the devil.’ all “isms”, “religions are hated by God.” KJV Christianity is not an “ism” , religion except in James 1:27 “religion accepted by God is “of”, subject to God. The devil, “liar” of Atheism, Judahism, Satanism are all “isms”, religions hated by God. jim
RELIGION is every bit as much abotu Metaphysics as Pilosophy, nd Philosophy is every bit as much about ow we shoudl live as Religion is. Nen of thee differences are Valid. Religion and Philsophy are the same thing.
These comparisons are so muddy, a close and deep scrutiny must admit that both are dealing with the same etiology of thought: Why? The Because of the why shows how these concepts inevitably join at the Y of this question to link the focus of analysis. David Gabert
This is quite a biased view of religion, but I did learn something here. I am not one to adhere much to any religion because religions are man made organizations designed to worship an intelligent designer of the Universe in various ways deemed by those who are in charge of the religion.
However, all religions do not demand rituals. Religions are more a way for a group of like minded believers in an intelligent designer of the Universe to envision that designer.
I am thinking that more philosophy needs to be used in organized religions in order to allow for an easier flow of understanding as new/old data is learned.
Very well done- thankyou
Nice and educative but the question is how can philosophy be more of metaphysics if metaphysics is only a branch of philosophy?
Koshal’s bias seems to lean towards a Secular Humanist or Athiest/Agnostic depiction of religion in general, and presents a sadly distorted perspective of orthodox Christianity in particular. I recommend Koshal meet some committed Bible-believing Christians and discuss his description in this article with them.
All the commentators should remember that the original writer did not compare one single religion with philosophy. He uses religious versus philosophy, so what will be good to one believer may not be good to another believer, because of different religious practices. You have the right as a philosopher to comment base on your religious belief and nothing else. For me the original writer has done something remarkable, because the two disciplines are different in the sense that my religion which is Islam is purely divine while philosophy is human construct.
Religion is the belief in God regardless of what your religion is. Philosophy commands a logical explanation for a belief in a God. Therefor the 2 can never co-exist. I believe in God because the world we live in could never have started without His existence.
Good and interesting article. Before I was religious, I was philosophical but going nowhere. I once argued about the edge of the universe (if its expanding) but who is to say where it might be. Could it be close to earth for example? Since its expanding into nothing, can we detect nothing? The same with time. Philosophy goes nowhere. Time, space and matter have an end and it’s much sooner than many think. The torahcalendar.com explains it. For anyone interested in the LORD, look at the now open book of truth – promised to be open at the end of time, best defined in daniel11truth.com