Ricardo Sousa Silvestre
CONCEPTS OF GOD
and the Variety of Theisms in Indian Traditions
TOWARDS A THEISTIC THEORY OF CONSCIOUSNESS
 Oxford ConferenceMay 15-17, 2024 |  RISHIKESH CONFERENCEApril 9-11, 2025 |  JOÃO PESSOA CONFERENCEFebruary 12-14, 2025 |  GRANTS (PAPER INCUBATOR) |  PUBLICATIONS |  VIRTUAL ROUNDTABLESOcotober 2025 - December 2025 - February 2026 - April 2026 |
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About the Project
God and Consciousness in Indian Traditions
The project Concepts of God and the Variety of Theisms in Indian Traditions: Towards a Theistic Theory of Consciousness was carried out from 2023 to 2026 and supported by funding totaling $260,000 from the John Templeton Foundation. It had as general goals (1) to philosophically reconstruct concepts of God in Indian theistic (or theistically inclined) traditions such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism, and (2) to investigate the extent to which issues explored by these traditions can contribute to the philosophy of consciousness.
As part of the project, we published articles, edited volumes, and journal special issues, and also organized conferences, non-academic roundtables, and a paper incubator aimed at helping early career researchers produce high-quality, publishable papers on our research themes and questions. The project helped consolidate cross-cultural research within the analytic philosophy of religion that took seriously the contributions and insights of underrepresented religions, such as those of the Indian subcontinent. It also helped raise awareness among religious studies scholars of the usefulness of analytic philosophy and analytic theology.
Our Questions and Goals
Regarding our first general goal (to philosophically reconstruct concepts of God in Indian theistic traditions), research questions included but were not limited to: Are any of the traditions’ concepts of God monotheistic? Or are they closer to panentheism, henotheism or polytheism? What divine properties do the traditions ascribe to their respective divinity? Can the corresponding concepts of God be described in a consistent way? Do any of these concepts of God possess an advantage over Western philosophical accounts of God?
Regarding our second general goal (to investigate the extent to which issues explored by these traditions can contribute to the philosophy of consciousness), research questions included but were not limited to: Which views on consciousness are presupposed by those concepts of God? How can these views be philosophically articulated? What are their advantages and disadvantages? Are they compatible with the modern scientific worldview? Can (the concept of) God contribute to a scientifically-consistent theory of consciousness?
Akcnowledgement
This project was made possible through the support of Grant 62954 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in the outcomes of the project do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. The project was hosted by the Brazilian Association for the Philosophy of Religion in cooperation with the Logic and Religion Association (LARA). The project was a continuation and expansion of the project A Philosophical Approach to the Vaiṣṇava Concept of God, funded by John Templeton Foundation through The Global Philosophy of Religion Project (#61613).