In this recorded video of BTG webinar no. 1, "Teaching Philosophy of Religion with Eleonor Stump and Simone Weil," held last February 6, 2021, Rowie Azada-Palacios and Taz Albano discuss the works of the titular women philosophers.
In "Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering" (Oxford University Press, 2010), Stump explores the mystery of desire and heartbreak: What sense is there in experiencing desire, when desire merely brings heartbreak? What sense is there in loving people, if loving ends in loss? Stump considers different answers to this question, before drawing on the work of St. Thomas Aquinas to develop a response that relates these desires with our desire for God.
Meanwhile, "Waiting for God" by Weil is a series of correspondences, philosophical musings, and essays on building one’s love for the divine. It epitomizes Weil’s genius as a mystic, philosopher, activist and pacifist. Published posthumously, her work illustrates a profound, inclusive yet controversial take on religious belief and spirituality 70 years ahead of its time.
Speakers and bionotes:
Rowie Azada-Palacios is an assistant professor at Ateneo de Manila. She is completing her PhD in Philosophy of Education at University College London in the United Kingdom. In her 20 years of teaching at Ateneo, she has taught all of Ateneo’s core philosophy courses, as well as a number of philosophy major and elective courses, including political philosophy and anti-colonial political.
Taz Albano is an assistant professor at the Ateneo de Manila University. She received her PhD in Philosophy from De La Salle University in 2019. She works on topics in feminist aesthetics, philosophy of art and men’s studies. Her current research interests include feminist critiques of the body and boys’ love.
Teaching Philosophy of Religion with Eleonore Stump and Simone Weil