An Existential Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion in the Light of the Novel as a Literary Work/Product

Burak Karabulut

Article Details

An Existential Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion in the Light of the Novel as a Literary Work/Product

Authors:

Burak Karabulut

Publisher:

Mus Alparslan University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Din ve Bilim - Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.51-64

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351984

pISSN:

2667-7717

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Since the dawn of human existence, humanity has questioned the meaning of its being and its relationship with the universe through both philosophy and art. While philosophy seeks solutions to universal problems through reason, art emerges as a means of expressing human emotional and intellectual worlds. Religious philosophy, a sub-discipline of philosophy, delves into fundamental topics such as the existence of God, the meaning of religion, and the human relationship with God, with this examination being deepened by various philosophical approaches. For example, the analytical and continental philosophical approachesdistinctions prominent in contemporary philosophy address religious experience from different angles. While analytical philosophy examines metaphysical subjects through logic and reasoning, continental philosophy, aided by phenomenological and hermeneutic methods, focuses on the inner world and human experiences through movements such as existentialism. At this point, it becomes evident that literature, especially within art, is an important tool in understanding humanity and the world by telling human stories, experiences, and thoughts. The novel, a genre of literature, reveals the complexity and richness of human nature by addressing human experience in a multifaceted way. In this context, the fact that continental philosophy, while making philosophical inferences, considers the historical and cultural phenomena of the period and exhibits a philosophical orientation with the phenomenological-hermeneutic method establishes a natural unity with novels and, consequently, with literature. This approach of continental philosophy aligns with the messages that literary texts convey holistically. In-depth examination of literary texts and their integration with the methods used by continental philosophy enables the enrichment and deepening of philosophical inferences. Thus, literary works create a fertile ground for the concretization and interpretation of philosophical thoughts. This study argues that continental philosophys methods naturally align with literature. By examining cultural and historical contexts and using phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation, novels can provide a platform for philosophical exploration. This approach complements the logical analysis of analytical philosophy and allows for a more comprehensive understanding of religious philosophy. This research aims to demonstrate how novels, with their holistic approach, can convey the core ideas of continental philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on religious philosophy. By analyzing novels from various cultures through the lens of existentialism, this study seeks to show how literature can embody and question philosophical concepts. This approach addresses a gap in current literature, where the intersection of continental philosophy and literature in religious philosophy is not thoroughly explored. The study aims to contribute a new perspective to religious philosophy by using novels to investigate existential questions. It argues that novels effectively communicate the deeper messages of existentialism, which is a key element of continental philosophy, thanks to their holistic character and stories that reflect real life. This research attempts to show that continental philosophy can offer a novel point of view to religious philosophy besides the analytical approach that relies solely on abstract reasoning and logical analyses.

 Since the dawn of human existence, humanity has questioned the meaning of its being and its relationship with the universe through both philosophy and art. While philosophy seeks solutions to universal problems through reason, art emerges as a means of expressing human emotional and intellectual worlds. Religious philosophy, a sub-discipline of philosophy, delves into fundamental topics such as the existence of God, the meaning of religion, and the human relationship with God, with this examination being deepened by various philosophical approaches. For example, the analytical and continental philosophical approachesdistinctions prominent in contemporary philosophy address religious experience from different angles. While analytical philosophy examines metaphysical subjects through logic and reasoning, continental philosophy, aided by phenomenological and hermeneutic methods, focuses on the inner world and human experiences through movements such as existentialism. At this point, it becomes evident that literature, especially within art, is an important tool in understanding humanity and the world by telling human stories, experiences, and thoughts. The novel, a genre of literature, reveals the complexity and richness of human nature by addressing human experience in a multifaceted way. In this context, the fact that continental philosophy, while making philosophical inferences, considers the historical and cultural phenomena of the period and exhibits a philosophical orientation with the phenomenological-hermeneutic method establishes a natural unity with novels and, consequently, with literature. This approach of continental philosophy aligns with the messages that literary texts convey holistically. In-depth examination of literary texts and their integration with the methods used by continental philosophy enables the enrichment and deepening of philosophical inferences. Thus, literary works create a fertile ground for the concretization and interpretation of philosophical thoughts. This study argues that continental philosophys methods naturally align with literature. By examining cultural and historical contexts and using phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation, novels can provide a platform for philosophical exploration. This approach complements the logical analysis of analytical philosophy and allows for a more comprehensive understanding of religious philosophy. This research aims to demonstrate how novels, with their holistic approach, can convey the core ideas of continental philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on religious philosophy. By analyzing novels from various cultures through the lens of existentialism, this study seeks to show how literature can embody and question philosophical concepts. This approach addresses a gap in current literature, where the intersection of continental philosophy and literature in religious philosophy is not thoroughly explored. The study aims to contribute a new perspective to religious philosophy by using novels to investigate existential questions. It argues that novels effectively communicate the deeper messages of existentialism, which is a key element of continental philosophy, thanks to their holistic character and stories that reflect real life. This research attempts to show that continental philosophy can offer a novel point of view to religious philosophy besides the analytical approach that relies solely on abstract reasoning and logical analyses.

 Since the dawn of human existence, humanity has questioned the meaning of its being and its relationship with the universe through both philosophy and art. While philosophy seeks solutions to universal problems through reason, art emerges as a means of expressing human emotional and intellectual worlds. Religious philosophy, a sub-discipline of philosophy, delves into fundamental topics such as the existence of God, the meaning of religion, and the human relationship with God, with this examination being deepened by various philosophical approaches. For example, the analytical and continental philosophical approachesdistinctions prominent in contemporary philosophy address religious experience from different angles. While analytical philosophy examines metaphysical subjects through logic and reasoning, continental philosophy, aided by phenomenological and hermeneutic methods, focuses on the inner world and human experiences through movements such as existentialism. At this point, it becomes evident that literature, especially within art, is an important tool in understanding humanity and the world by telling human stories, experiences, and thoughts. The novel, a genre of literature, reveals the complexity and richness of human nature by addressing human experience in a multifaceted way. In this context, the fact that continental philosophy, while making philosophical inferences, considers the historical and cultural phenomena of the period and exhibits a philosophical orientation with the phenomenological-hermeneutic method establishes a natural unity with novels and, consequently, with literature. This approach of continental philosophy aligns with the messages that literary texts convey holistically. In-depth examination of literary texts and their integration with the methods used by continental philosophy enables the enrichment and deepening of philosophical inferences. Thus, literary works create a fertile ground for the concretization and interpretation of philosophical thoughts. This study argues that continental philosophys methods naturally align with literature. By examining cultural and historical contexts and using phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation, novels can provide a platform for philosophical exploration. This approach complements the logical analysis of analytical philosophy and allows for a more comprehensive understanding of religious philosophy. This research aims to demonstrate how novels, with their holistic approach, can convey the core ideas of continental philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on religious philosophy. By analyzing novels from various cultures through the lens of existentialism, this study seeks to show how literature can embody and question philosophical concepts. This approach addresses a gap in current literature, where the intersection of continental philosophy and literature in religious philosophy is not thoroughly explored. The study aims to contribute a new perspective to religious philosophy by using novels to investigate existential questions. It argues that novels effectively communicate the deeper messages of existentialism, which is a key element of continental philosophy, thanks to their holistic character and stories that reflect real life. This research attempts to show that continental philosophy can offer a novel point of view to religious philosophy besides the analytical approach that relies solely on abstract reasoning and logical analyses.

 İnsan varoluşundan bu yana hem felsefe hem de sanat aracılığıyla varlığının anlamını ve evrenle ilişkisini sorgulamıştır. Bu sorgulama yolculuğunda felsefe, akıl yoluyla evrensel sorunlara çözüm ararken sanat, insanın duygusal ve düşünsel dünyasını ifade etme aracı olarak ortaya çıkar. Felsefenin alt disiplinlerinden biri olan din felsefesi ise Tanrının varlığı, dinin anlamı ve insanın Tanrı ile ilişkisi gibi temel konuları incelerken, bu inceleme farklı felsefi yaklaşımlarla derinleşir. Örneğin, çağdaş felsefede öne çıkan Analitik ve Kıta felsefesi yaklaşımlarıayrımları, Tanrı ve din olgularını farklı açılardan ele alır. Analitik felsefe, mantık ve akıl yürütme yoluyla metafiziksel konuları incelerken Kıta felsefesi, fenomenolojik ve hermenötik yöntemlerin de katkısıyla varoluşçuluk gibi akımlarla insanın iç dünyasına ve deneyimlerine odaklanır. Bu noktada sanatın içinde özellikle edebiyatın, insanın hikayelerini, deneyimlerini ve düşüncelerini anlatarak insanı ve dünyayı anlama yolunda önemli bir araç olduğu göze çarpar. Edebiyatın türlerinden olan roman ise insan deneyimini çok yönlü ele alarak bütünsel bir yöntemle insan doğasının karmaşıklığını ve zenginliğini ortaya koyar. Bu noktada, Kıta felsefesinin felsefi çıkarımlar yaparken dönemin tarihi, kültürel olgularını göz önünde bulundurması ve fenomenolojik-hermenötik yöntemle felsefi yönelim sergilemesi, romanlarla ve dolayısıyla edebiyatla doğal bir birliktelik kurar. Kıta felsefesinin bu yaklaşımı, edebi metinlerin bütüncül bir şekilde ilettiği mesajlarla örtüşür. Edebi metinlerin derinlemesine incelenmesi ve Kıta felsefesinin kullandığı yöntemlerle bir araya getirilmesi, felsefi çıkarımların zenginleşmesine ve derinleşmesine olanak tanır. Bu sayede edebi eserler, felsefi düşüncelerin somutlaştırılması ve yorumlanması için verimli bir zemin oluşturur. Bu kısa ve zorunlu açıklamanın ışığında, makalenin temel amacı, Kıta felsefesinin insan odaklı bakış açısının, roman gibi edebi eserler aracılığıyla Analitik felsefenin ortaya koyduğu analiz ve mantık yürütmenin yanında, din felsefesine yeni bir perspektif sunmaya çalışmaktır. Bu bağlamda romanların, bütüncüllüğü sayesinde, Kıta felsefesinin perspektifinden, derin mesajlarını iletmede önemli bir etkiye sahip olduğu ve felsefi kavramları okuyucunun zihnine ve duygusal dünyasına daha etkili bir şekilde nüfuz ettirdiği savunulmaktadır. Kısaca, edebiyatın felsefi düşünceleri somutlaştırma ve sorgulama gücünden yararlanarak roman örnekleri üzerinden, din felsefesine yeni bir bakış açısı getirmeye çabalamaktır. Din felsefesi literatürüne bakıldığında, Kıta felsefesi ve edebiyatın kesişiminin incelendiği çalışmaların sınırlı olduğu görülmektedir. Özellikle, farklı coğrafyalardan ve kültürlerden seçilen romanlar üzerinden insanın anlam arayışı ve dini deneyiminin hermenötik yöntemle incelendiği çalışmaların azlığı göze çarpmaktadır. Bu çalışma, varoluşçu felsefe temel alınarak ve edebiyatın felsefi düşünceleri somutlaştırma ve sorgulama gücünü kullanarak din felsefesine yeni bir bakış açısı getirmeyi hedeflemektedir. En nihayetinde bu çalışma, edebiyat ve felsefenin kesişim noktasında, insanın varoluşsal sorgulamalarına yanıt arayarak din felsefesine özgün bir bakış açısı sunmaya gayret etmektedir. Literatüre yapılacak bu katkının, benzer disiplinlerarası araştırmaların önünü açacağı umulmaktadır. Çalışma sonucunda romanların; bütüncül yapısı ve yaşamın içinden örneklerle olması, Kıta felsefesinin savunduğu yöntemlerin doğal sonucu olan varoluşçuluğun, derin mesajlarını iletmede etkili bir araç olduğu ve böylece din felsefesine yeni bir bakış açısı kazandırabileceği sonucuna ulaşılmaya çalışılır. Böylece bu çalışma, insan deneyiminin karmaşıklığını ve zenginliğini ortaya koyarak, analitik felsefenin analiz ve soyut akıl yürütme yöntemlerinin yanında varoluşsal sorgulamalara ve anlam arayışlarına yeni bir perspektif getirebilir.

Article Details

An Existential Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion in the Light of the Novel as a Literary Work/Product

Authors:

Burak Karabulut

Publisher:

Mus Alparslan University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Din ve Bilim - Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.51-64

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351984

pISSN:

2667-7717

Philosophy of Religion

Literatüre

Philosophy

ExistantialismDin Felsefesi

Edebiyat

Felsefe

Varoluşçuluk

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Burak Karabulut

Publisher: Mus Alparslan University

Main Topics: Din Felsefesi

Journal: Din ve Bilim - Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.51-64

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001351984

pISSN: 2667-7717

Issues

Authors:

Burak Karabulut

Publisher:

Mus Alparslan University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Din ve Bilim - Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.51-64

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351984

pISSN:

2667-7717