Religion Explained?
The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years
Published on 21. September 2017
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-350-03246-0 (ISBN)
Description
With contributions from founders of the field, including Justin Barrett, E. Thomas Lawson, Robert N. McCauley, Paschal Boyer, Armin Geertz and Harvey Whitehouse, as well as from younger scholars from successive stages in the field's development, this is an important survey of the first twenty-five years of the cognitive science of religion.
Each chapter provides the author's views on the contributions the cognitive science of religion has made to the academic study of religion, as well as any shortcomings in the field and challenges for the future. Religion Explained? The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years calls attention to the field whilst providing an accessible and diverse survey of approaches from key voices, as well as offering suggestions for further research within the field.
This book is essential reading for anyone in religious studies, anthropology, and the scientific study of religion.
Each chapter provides the author's views on the contributions the cognitive science of religion has made to the academic study of religion, as well as any shortcomings in the field and challenges for the future. Religion Explained? The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years calls attention to the field whilst providing an accessible and diverse survey of approaches from key voices, as well as offering suggestions for further research within the field.
This book is essential reading for anyone in religious studies, anthropology, and the scientific study of religion.
Reviews / Votes
A series of earnest and frank reflections by scholars, established within [cognitive science of religion], who write passionately about their hopes for the future of the field they have helped to build. * Reading Religion * Key questions raised in the papers ... collectively form a rich dialogue about the past, present and future of CSR ... [An] exemplary collection. * Journal of Cognitive Historiography * Martin and Wiebe have put together an extraordinary collection of essays on the past, present, and future of the Cognitive Science of Religion. The result is a volume that is a must-have for anyone interested in the scientific study of the religious mind. * Dimitris Xygalatas, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, USA * This volume offers a presentation of the field of the cognitive science of religion by some of its founders and finest experts and demonstrates that it has grown into a diverse and dynamically developing research paradigm. * Istvan Czachesz, Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Tromso, Norway * It is fascinating to read the insights of scholars as they take stock of thisyouthful discipline, and consider its possible future directions. Luther Martin
and Donald Wiebe have compiled a stimulating appraisal of many different
aspects of research in the cognitive science of religion, with thoughtful
reflections from both established and new practitioners in the field. * Esther Eidinow, Professor of Ancient History, University of Bristol, UK * The cognitive science of religion (CSR) is based on the uncontroversial idea that scholars should strive to make their theories consistent. Though most humanities scholars believe in the life sciences, systematic efforts to integrate the life sciences with the cultural study of religion began only recently, through the rise of the CSR. Beyond simply summarising progress, this collection articulates the bold intellectual vision motivating this vibrant interdisciplinary field. For anyone who wants to understand how the scientific study of religion and the cultural study of religion have become mutually dependent, this book makes for essential reading. * Joseph Bulbulia, Professor of Religious Studies, Victoria University, New Zealand * It provides an interesting and informative range of perspectives on a movement that has reached something of a watershed in its development. The perspectives offered are scholarly, honest and critical, often probing deeply. * Science & Christian Belief *
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
6 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
578 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-03246-0 (9781350032460)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Luther H. Martin | Donald Wiebe
Religion Explained?
The Cognitive Science of Religion After Twenty-Five Years
E-Book
09/2017
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€38.49
Available for download
Luther H. Martin | Donald Wiebe
Religion Explained?
The Cognitive Science of Religion After Twenty-Five Years
E-Book
09/2017
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€38.49
Available for download
Persons
Luther H. Martin is Professor of Religion Emeritus at the University of Vermont, USA.
Donald Wiebe is Professor of Philosopy of Religion, Trinity College, University of Toronto, Canada.
Donald Wiebe is Professor of Philosopy of Religion, Trinity College, University of Toronto, Canada.
Content
List of contributors
Introduction: Religion Explained? The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years, Luther H. Martin (University of Vermont, USA) and Donald Wiebe (University of Toronto, Canada)
Part One: Retrospectives
1. The Cognitive Science of Religion and the Growth of Knowledge, E. Thomas Lawson (Queen's University, Belfast, UK)
2. Twenty-Five Years In: Landmark Empirical Findings in the Cognitive Science of Religion, Robert N. McCauley (Emory University, USA)
3. Twenty-Five Years of CSR: A Personal Retrospective, Harvey Whitehouse (University of Oxford, UK)
4. The Beautiful Butterfly: On the History and Prospects of the Cognitive Science of Religion,
Uffe Schjodt & Armin W. Geertz (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Two: State of the Art
5. Religion Explained? Some Variants of Cognitive Theory, Stewart Elliott Guthrie, (Fordham University, USA)
6. Cognitive Attractors in the Evolution and Diffusion of Religious Representations, Pascal Boyer (Washington University in St. Louis) & Nicolas Baumard (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris, France)
7. The Long Way from Cognitive Science to History: To Shorten the Distance and Fill in the Blanks, Panayotis Pachis & Olympia Panagiotidou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)
8. The Indispensability of Cognitive Science for a Genuine History of Religion, Anders Klostergaard Petersen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Three: CSR 2.0
9. Exiting the Motel of the Mysteries? How Historiographical Floccinaucinihilipilification Is Affecting CSR 2.0, Leonardo Ambasciano (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)
10. Minimal Counterintuitiveness Revisited, Again: The Role of Emotional Valence in Memory for Conceptual Incongruity, Micheala Porubanova (State University of New York, Farmingdale, USA) & John H. Shaver (Victoria University of Wellington)
11. Constraints on Theory-Building in the Cognitive Science of Religion with Reflections on the Influence of Physics Envy and the Principle of Sufficient Reason, Benson Saler & Charles A. Ziegler (Brandeis University, USA)
12. The Effects of Relative Stable Feedback Loops: Cognitive Science and Historical Explanations, Jesper Sorensen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Four: Looking Forward
13. The Road Not Taken: Possible Paths for the Cognitive Science of Religion, Richard Sosis (University of Connecticut, USA)
14. Looking Back to Look Forward: From Shannon and Turing to Lawson and McCauley to...?, Justin Lane (Boston University, USA)
15. A Neo-Victorian Cognitive Science of Religion, Steven Hrotic (Independent Scholar)
Conclusion
16. On Keeping Cognitive Science of Religion Cognitive and Cultural, Justin L. Barrett (Fuller Theological Seminary, USA)
Bibliography
Index
Introduction: Religion Explained? The Cognitive Science of Religion after Twenty-five Years, Luther H. Martin (University of Vermont, USA) and Donald Wiebe (University of Toronto, Canada)
Part One: Retrospectives
1. The Cognitive Science of Religion and the Growth of Knowledge, E. Thomas Lawson (Queen's University, Belfast, UK)
2. Twenty-Five Years In: Landmark Empirical Findings in the Cognitive Science of Religion, Robert N. McCauley (Emory University, USA)
3. Twenty-Five Years of CSR: A Personal Retrospective, Harvey Whitehouse (University of Oxford, UK)
4. The Beautiful Butterfly: On the History and Prospects of the Cognitive Science of Religion,
Uffe Schjodt & Armin W. Geertz (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Two: State of the Art
5. Religion Explained? Some Variants of Cognitive Theory, Stewart Elliott Guthrie, (Fordham University, USA)
6. Cognitive Attractors in the Evolution and Diffusion of Religious Representations, Pascal Boyer (Washington University in St. Louis) & Nicolas Baumard (Ecole Normale Superieure Paris, France)
7. The Long Way from Cognitive Science to History: To Shorten the Distance and Fill in the Blanks, Panayotis Pachis & Olympia Panagiotidou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)
8. The Indispensability of Cognitive Science for a Genuine History of Religion, Anders Klostergaard Petersen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Three: CSR 2.0
9. Exiting the Motel of the Mysteries? How Historiographical Floccinaucinihilipilification Is Affecting CSR 2.0, Leonardo Ambasciano (Masaryk University, Czech Republic)
10. Minimal Counterintuitiveness Revisited, Again: The Role of Emotional Valence in Memory for Conceptual Incongruity, Micheala Porubanova (State University of New York, Farmingdale, USA) & John H. Shaver (Victoria University of Wellington)
11. Constraints on Theory-Building in the Cognitive Science of Religion with Reflections on the Influence of Physics Envy and the Principle of Sufficient Reason, Benson Saler & Charles A. Ziegler (Brandeis University, USA)
12. The Effects of Relative Stable Feedback Loops: Cognitive Science and Historical Explanations, Jesper Sorensen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
Part Four: Looking Forward
13. The Road Not Taken: Possible Paths for the Cognitive Science of Religion, Richard Sosis (University of Connecticut, USA)
14. Looking Back to Look Forward: From Shannon and Turing to Lawson and McCauley to...?, Justin Lane (Boston University, USA)
15. A Neo-Victorian Cognitive Science of Religion, Steven Hrotic (Independent Scholar)
Conclusion
16. On Keeping Cognitive Science of Religion Cognitive and Cultural, Justin L. Barrett (Fuller Theological Seminary, USA)
Bibliography
Index