European Perspectives on Religion and
Meaning
2 okt
Goals
- Personal development
- The ‘disciplinary future self’ -> job
o Ex judge; meaning of punishment
o Ex what kind of company you will work for, meaning of life
Overview
1) The word ‘meaning’: reflect in science and technology
2) + 3) Religion
o In today’s actua: war, narrow minded views, religion is declining, outdated
bcs of science, …
o ≈ new dogma’s -> questions these (use science)
o What kind of convictions are religious convictions and how do they relate to
science?
§ What kind of truth is religion representing?
4) Anger and Punishment
o Punish oTenders bcs we are angry
5) Divine and Human Law
o How do they relate to one another
o What has the priority
6) Religion in the public Sphere (politics), The Case of Euthanasia
o How we see life, the good life, happiness, human beings
o How does this aTect politics?
Practical
- Notes (everything said in class) + readings (don’t learn them by hart but understand
the ideas)
- Exam 18/20
o 3 essay questions
o 6 multiple choice questions
§ 2 questions about the texts that haven’t been discussed in class (not
dates or names)
- Participation in module 2/20
o Takes about 10h (3 modules)
o Deadline to register: start October 31, 2025 12 pm
o Discussion forum
o Reflection
o Certificate
1
,Class 1: Meaning, science and technology
Human desire / interest in meaning à using philosophy
Three human concerns (ways of relating to or engaging the world) – Controle, knowledge
and meaning
1. Lifeworld - Science - Reasonableness
Video: cosmic eye – movement of camera says st about how science works
- Edmund Husser (Jewish, died under nazi rule) = important philosopher for the
University of Leuven
o Thinks really fast, has fast handwriting -> still translating it today at KU Leuven
- Lifeworld (def of Husser) = world in which we life, but specific characteristics
o Social; World we live in is shared with other people
o Personal; refers mostly to people
o Meaningful; things we do are meaningful, things refer to people, humans ex
chairs in aula for meaningful activity following class (can be pos or neg, you
can like it or not)
Ex a computer= not mostly an object à meaning; use it for teaching (gives
meaning) , write emails to people, it is personal and social (refers to other
people then myself and is deeply personal, communication, interaction)
è everything is full of meaning
- Science:
Starts from the lifeworld
o Astronomy starts from the meaningful fact that we life in a bigger cosmos
o Law starts from the meaningful fact that all societies have rules and laws in
them
o Bio-engineering starts from the meaningful fact that in the life world there are
farmers
What does science do; depart from the lifeworld (subject versus object, taking a
distance, non-personal)
o In our lifeworld our attitude is meaningful, science takes a step back à look
at things as object
= DiTerent attitude from our lifeworld towards things, seeing things as
merely objects
o Discover the impersonal laws that governs these objects
o Ex anatomy (study of human body): became successful when scientist had
the courage to cut a death body open and take the organs out
• Before a death body you have to respect, can’t cut it open
• Still the case in our lifeworld, a body is not an object -> it is highly
meaningful
o The everyday involvement in the lifeworld is temporarily suspended
o Science eventually returns to the lifeworld
• Ex cutting open a body in autonomy = ok, outside the hospital/class ≠ ok
2
,- The example of Cosmic eye (video)
- Crucial Q: what is the relationship/connection between science and the lifeworld?
DiTerent opinion:
o 1° A more evidence-based life?
§ Some people say we have to become more scientific and evidence-
based
§ Prof: no, not possible or desirable
o 2° The autonomy of the lifeworld?
§ Although science is influential in the lifeworld, our lifeworld will never
really become governed by the attitude of science and if it is governed
by the attitude of science we are entering in a really crazy world
o First example: does science influence our lifeworld? Yes, is does, ex the way
people date with each other, dating apps à algorithm matches profiles with
each other = impersonal, person as sum of diTerent characteristic
§ = influence from science on our lifeworld but the final decision if you
like this person or want to interact with him/her à we use our
intuition (≠ scientific)
Prof, examples that the lifeworld becomes more evidence based
But the autonomy of the lifeworld, we still live according to certain customs
and ways of living that are just there, not based on science and are in the end
stronger than what science tells us
à The lifeworld has rules that not governed by science
o Second example: people can be rational, make science-based choices but
they end up being really irrational:
Making friends in a new university: idea, I only want to invest time with people
who I might become friends with
§ Use personality tests, only sit next to people who the algorithm says
are compatible
= creepy, this is not how we deal with friendship
§ We like to say ‘what a coincidence that we met each other so many
years ago’
§ Without coincidence, we lose st valuable à what is rational is maybe
unreasonable
§ Trusting intuition when choosing partner is maybe highly un-rational
à Being rational and being reasonable
3
, 2 Three Human Concerns
Concerns’ = desires, ways of relating to the world
- Knowledge: we want to know things -> most
eTicient way = science, but also magazines,
knowing people famous life
- Controle: gain control over the world, over our
life’s bcs we want our needs satisfied = not neg, but positive
o Technology, tanks to bio-engineers we can feed the whole world
- Meaning: want a meaningful life
Our world is strongly influenced by technology and science and meaning seems less big
- But in reality, meaning is way more fundamental than we might thing
Relation between Meaning and knowledge
Thesis 1: There are activities in our lives that seem to be about the concern for knowledge,
but that are actually fundamentally about meaning.
- We all talk to each other à why?
- Knowledge needs to be communicated? It is pure cognitive? NO
- Ex. talking to neighbour about weather ≠ about info, but recognition (yes you are my
neighbour) = meaningful that you are my neighbour
- Ex. talking with friends about deeper stuT = ritual you are my friend, with you I share
st deep
Thesis 2: In the domain of meaning, there is reasonableness and unreasonableness.
However, what is 'reasonable' and 'unreasonable' is not the same as what is 'rational' and
'irrational' from a cognitive perspective à Knowledge is important, desire for knowledge
and meaning overlap
- Certain knowledge is crucial for our relationship
- Ex. must know that your partner is not cheating on you
o Scientific: gathering empirical evidence ex tracking app, private detective à
if partner sees this, he will interpret this as a lack of evidence
= more eTicient and rational but also considered highly unreasonable
o Reasonable: Ask the person = ineTicient way of finding it out, can lie to you
à We use trust, highly ineTicient but still we use it
(irrational/reasonable?)
Thesis 3: Scientific (cognitive) findings are often of only relative importance for the
meaningful relationships in the lived world à what science tells us is often just irrelevant
- Ex: Article about love & what scientist have discovered: how it works, chemicals in
brain, etc.
o Impact on my love life? Non
o Illusion we have about science: Scientific discoveries a big deal of how we
life our live >< Info is highly irrelevant
4
Meaning
2 okt
Goals
- Personal development
- The ‘disciplinary future self’ -> job
o Ex judge; meaning of punishment
o Ex what kind of company you will work for, meaning of life
Overview
1) The word ‘meaning’: reflect in science and technology
2) + 3) Religion
o In today’s actua: war, narrow minded views, religion is declining, outdated
bcs of science, …
o ≈ new dogma’s -> questions these (use science)
o What kind of convictions are religious convictions and how do they relate to
science?
§ What kind of truth is religion representing?
4) Anger and Punishment
o Punish oTenders bcs we are angry
5) Divine and Human Law
o How do they relate to one another
o What has the priority
6) Religion in the public Sphere (politics), The Case of Euthanasia
o How we see life, the good life, happiness, human beings
o How does this aTect politics?
Practical
- Notes (everything said in class) + readings (don’t learn them by hart but understand
the ideas)
- Exam 18/20
o 3 essay questions
o 6 multiple choice questions
§ 2 questions about the texts that haven’t been discussed in class (not
dates or names)
- Participation in module 2/20
o Takes about 10h (3 modules)
o Deadline to register: start October 31, 2025 12 pm
o Discussion forum
o Reflection
o Certificate
1
,Class 1: Meaning, science and technology
Human desire / interest in meaning à using philosophy
Three human concerns (ways of relating to or engaging the world) – Controle, knowledge
and meaning
1. Lifeworld - Science - Reasonableness
Video: cosmic eye – movement of camera says st about how science works
- Edmund Husser (Jewish, died under nazi rule) = important philosopher for the
University of Leuven
o Thinks really fast, has fast handwriting -> still translating it today at KU Leuven
- Lifeworld (def of Husser) = world in which we life, but specific characteristics
o Social; World we live in is shared with other people
o Personal; refers mostly to people
o Meaningful; things we do are meaningful, things refer to people, humans ex
chairs in aula for meaningful activity following class (can be pos or neg, you
can like it or not)
Ex a computer= not mostly an object à meaning; use it for teaching (gives
meaning) , write emails to people, it is personal and social (refers to other
people then myself and is deeply personal, communication, interaction)
è everything is full of meaning
- Science:
Starts from the lifeworld
o Astronomy starts from the meaningful fact that we life in a bigger cosmos
o Law starts from the meaningful fact that all societies have rules and laws in
them
o Bio-engineering starts from the meaningful fact that in the life world there are
farmers
What does science do; depart from the lifeworld (subject versus object, taking a
distance, non-personal)
o In our lifeworld our attitude is meaningful, science takes a step back à look
at things as object
= DiTerent attitude from our lifeworld towards things, seeing things as
merely objects
o Discover the impersonal laws that governs these objects
o Ex anatomy (study of human body): became successful when scientist had
the courage to cut a death body open and take the organs out
• Before a death body you have to respect, can’t cut it open
• Still the case in our lifeworld, a body is not an object -> it is highly
meaningful
o The everyday involvement in the lifeworld is temporarily suspended
o Science eventually returns to the lifeworld
• Ex cutting open a body in autonomy = ok, outside the hospital/class ≠ ok
2
,- The example of Cosmic eye (video)
- Crucial Q: what is the relationship/connection between science and the lifeworld?
DiTerent opinion:
o 1° A more evidence-based life?
§ Some people say we have to become more scientific and evidence-
based
§ Prof: no, not possible or desirable
o 2° The autonomy of the lifeworld?
§ Although science is influential in the lifeworld, our lifeworld will never
really become governed by the attitude of science and if it is governed
by the attitude of science we are entering in a really crazy world
o First example: does science influence our lifeworld? Yes, is does, ex the way
people date with each other, dating apps à algorithm matches profiles with
each other = impersonal, person as sum of diTerent characteristic
§ = influence from science on our lifeworld but the final decision if you
like this person or want to interact with him/her à we use our
intuition (≠ scientific)
Prof, examples that the lifeworld becomes more evidence based
But the autonomy of the lifeworld, we still live according to certain customs
and ways of living that are just there, not based on science and are in the end
stronger than what science tells us
à The lifeworld has rules that not governed by science
o Second example: people can be rational, make science-based choices but
they end up being really irrational:
Making friends in a new university: idea, I only want to invest time with people
who I might become friends with
§ Use personality tests, only sit next to people who the algorithm says
are compatible
= creepy, this is not how we deal with friendship
§ We like to say ‘what a coincidence that we met each other so many
years ago’
§ Without coincidence, we lose st valuable à what is rational is maybe
unreasonable
§ Trusting intuition when choosing partner is maybe highly un-rational
à Being rational and being reasonable
3
, 2 Three Human Concerns
Concerns’ = desires, ways of relating to the world
- Knowledge: we want to know things -> most
eTicient way = science, but also magazines,
knowing people famous life
- Controle: gain control over the world, over our
life’s bcs we want our needs satisfied = not neg, but positive
o Technology, tanks to bio-engineers we can feed the whole world
- Meaning: want a meaningful life
Our world is strongly influenced by technology and science and meaning seems less big
- But in reality, meaning is way more fundamental than we might thing
Relation between Meaning and knowledge
Thesis 1: There are activities in our lives that seem to be about the concern for knowledge,
but that are actually fundamentally about meaning.
- We all talk to each other à why?
- Knowledge needs to be communicated? It is pure cognitive? NO
- Ex. talking to neighbour about weather ≠ about info, but recognition (yes you are my
neighbour) = meaningful that you are my neighbour
- Ex. talking with friends about deeper stuT = ritual you are my friend, with you I share
st deep
Thesis 2: In the domain of meaning, there is reasonableness and unreasonableness.
However, what is 'reasonable' and 'unreasonable' is not the same as what is 'rational' and
'irrational' from a cognitive perspective à Knowledge is important, desire for knowledge
and meaning overlap
- Certain knowledge is crucial for our relationship
- Ex. must know that your partner is not cheating on you
o Scientific: gathering empirical evidence ex tracking app, private detective à
if partner sees this, he will interpret this as a lack of evidence
= more eTicient and rational but also considered highly unreasonable
o Reasonable: Ask the person = ineTicient way of finding it out, can lie to you
à We use trust, highly ineTicient but still we use it
(irrational/reasonable?)
Thesis 3: Scientific (cognitive) findings are often of only relative importance for the
meaningful relationships in the lived world à what science tells us is often just irrelevant
- Ex: Article about love & what scientist have discovered: how it works, chemicals in
brain, etc.
o Impact on my love life? Non
o Illusion we have about science: Scientific discoveries a big deal of how we
life our live >< Info is highly irrelevant
4
