John Cottingham – The Return of the Sacred

About this episode

John Cottingham discusses the need for a more humane philosophy of religion that incorporates emotion and ritual.

John Cottingham is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Reading and an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford. Renowned for his work on Descartes, moral philosophy, and the philosophy of religion, he has authored over thirty books, including The Spiritual Dimension, Why Believe?, and Philosophy of Religion: Towards a More Humane Approach. His scholarship bridges analytic rigor with a deep concern for the emotional and spiritual dimensions of human life. His latest book is In Search of the Soul: A Philosophical Essay: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691174426/in-search-of-the-soul In this episode, we explore Cottingham's call for a more 'humane' philosophy of religion—one that acknowledges the roles of emotion, ritual, and embodied practice in shaping belief. He critiques the overly abstract methods of contemporary philosophy and argues that genuine understanding of the sacred requires engaging the full range of human experience. We discuss how rituals and worship practices can be seen not merely as symbolic acts but as vital expressions of our search for meaning and connection.​ We also cover the interplay between science and spirituality…

People in this episode

Host: Tiago Vasconcelos

Guest: John Cottingham

Topics covered

• philosophy of religion
• human experience
• emotion and belief
• rituals and worship
• science and spirituality
• meaning and connection

Keywords

• John Cottingham
• philosophy
• religion
• emotion
• rituals
• science
• spirituality
• meaning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Reading, St John's College, Oxford

Books & works: The Spiritual Dimension, Why Believe?, Philosophy of Religion: Towards a More Humane Approach, In Search of the Soul: A Philosophical Essay

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