Religion vs Philosophy

[Green Gaia]

What constitutes a religion, and what makes something a philosophy? For example, many refer to Buddhism as a religion, yet Buddhists would tell you it is not a religion, but a way of living, a philosophy.

So, what are the requirements of a religion and what makes a certain philosophy not a religion? Could philosophies such as Atheism and Agnosticism be considered religions? Why or why not?

 

[anders]

This is indeed a tough one, on which I have spent many hours with encyclopedias and on the Internet. I can't claim that I have the final answer, but I'll try.

In May this year, I copied this from a post by Runt:

"Philosophy, however, is NOT religious. It is defined as 'A love and pursuit of wisdom, a study of ‎causes and laws underlying reality, an inquiry into the nature of things based on logical reasoning ‎rather than empirical methods.' I personally regard it as the counterpart of physical scientific ‎study… science deals with the physical world, philosophy more with the social-mental world. It ‎CAN include religion, but does not have to.‎"

There is a thorough discussion with lots of definitions of religion on http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn.htm.

My personal view might be stated thus:

Religion is a belief in a Supernatural Being, and that the rules set by this Being have to be followed.

Comment: I don't exclude Beings that can, at least to some extent, be bribed by offerings of various kinds. I don't regard natural laws as Beings.

Philosophies of Life are rules for how we should act.

Comment: PoL should be distinguished from philosophy, of which my rather personal defintion is

Philosophy is everything that isn't science.

For illustration, I regard the original Buddhism and Daoism as philosophies. Atheism and agnosticism are philosophies as well. New Age beliefs may be either, depending on the individual believer's selection from the religious smörgåsbord.

 

[Runt]

YAY, I've been quoted.

A note... when I say "I personally regard philosophy as the counterpart of physical scientific ‎study" I mean on the side of logic and reasoning.

Elaboration: People look at the world in two ways: though a logical understanding and an intuitive (or one might even say "mythological") understanding. Logos vs Mythos. On the side of Logos you have physical scientific inquiry and philosophical inquiry (which, as I said before, deals with the social-mental rather than physical world). On the side of Mythos is intuitive understanding and religion. Religion can be studied within philosophy, but as soon as one starts looking at it as more than just symbolic conditional or universal truths, one is venturing into the realm of mythos.