New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion – serie
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35 produkter
35 produkter
Del 6 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Religious Speciation
How Religions Evolve
Inbunden, Engelska, 2019
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book presents a consecutive story on the evolution of religions. It starts with an analysis of evolution in biology and ends with a discussion of what a proper theory of religious evolution should look like. It discusses such questions as whether it is humankind or religion that evolves, how religions evolve, and what adaptation of religions means. Topics examined include inheritance and heredity, religio-speciation, hybridization, ontogenetics and epigenetics, phylogenetics, and systematics. Calling attention to unsolved problems and relating the evolutionary subject matter to appropriate material, the book integrates and interprets existing data. Based on the belief that an unequivocal stand is more likely to produce constructive criticism than evasion of an issue, the book chooses that interpretation of a controversial matter which seems most consistent with the emerging picture of the evolutionary process.“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution,” the evolutionary biologist and co-founder of the so-called New Synthesis in Evolutionary Biology, Theodosius Dobszhansky (1900-1975), wrote in his famous essay of 1973, opposing creationism in American society. Today, Dobszhansky’s statement is not only fully accepted in biology, but has become the scientific paradigm in disciplines such as psychology, archaeology and the study of religions. Yet in spite of this growing interest in evolutionary processes in religion and culture, the term "evolution" and the capability of an evolutionary account have to date still not been properly understood by scholars of the Humanities. This book closes that gap.
Häftad, Engelska, 2019
1 416 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
It is widely thought that the cognitive science of religion (CSR) may have a bearing on the epistemic status of religious beliefs and on other topics in philosophy of religion. Epistemologists have used theories from CSR to argue both for and against the rationality of religious beliefs, or they have claimed that CSR is neutral vis-à-vis the epistemic status of religious belief. However, since CSR is a rapidly evolving discipline, a great deal of earlier research on the topic has become dated. Furthermore, most of the debate on the epistemic consequences of CSR has not taken into account insights from the philosophy of science, such as explanatory pluralism and explanatory levels. This volume overcomes these deficiencies. This volume brings together new philosophical reflection on CSR. It examines the influence of CSR theories on the epistemic status of religious beliefs; it discusses its impact on philosophy of religion; and it offers new insights for CSR. The book addresses the question of whether or not the plurality of theories in CSR makes epistemic conclusions about religious belief unwarranted. It also explores the impact of CSR on other topics in philosophy of religion like the cognitive consequences of sin and naturalism. Finally, the book investigates what the main theories in CSR aim to explain, and addresses the strengths and weaknesses of CSR.
Del 7 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Human Simulation: Perspectives, Insights, and Applications
Inbunden, Engelska, 2019
1 416 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This uniquely inspirational and practical book explores human simulation, which is the application of computational modeling and simulation to research subjects in the humanities disciplines. It delves into the fascinating process of collaboration among experts who usually don’t have much to do with one another – computer engineers and humanities scholars – from the perspective of the humanities scholars. It also explains the process of developing models and simulations in these interdisciplinary teams. Each chapter takes the reader on a journey, presenting a specific theory about the human condition, a model of that theory, discussion of its implementation, analysis of its results, and an account of the collaborative experience. Contributing authors with different fields of expertise share how each model was validated, discuss relevant datasets, explain development strategies, and frankly discuss the ups and downs of the process of collaborative development. Readers are given access to the models and will also gain new perspectives from the authors’ findings, experiences, and recommendations. Today we are in the early phases of an information revolution, combining access to vast computing resources, large amounts of human data through social media, and an unprecedented richness of methods and tools to capture, analyze, explore, and test hypotheses and theories of all kinds. Thus, this book’s insights will be valuable not only to students and scholars of humanities subjects, but also to the general reader and researchers from other disciplines who are intrigued by the expansion of the information revolution all the way into the humanities departments of modern universities.
Del 7 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Human Simulation: Perspectives, Insights, and Applications
Häftad, Engelska, 2020
982 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This uniquely inspirational and practical book explores human simulation, which is the application of computational modeling and simulation to research subjects in the humanities disciplines. It delves into the fascinating process of collaboration among experts who usually don’t have much to do with one another – computer engineers and humanities scholars – from the perspective of the humanities scholars. It also explains the process of developing models and simulations in these interdisciplinary teams. Each chapter takes the reader on a journey, presenting a specific theory about the human condition, a model of that theory, discussion of its implementation, analysis of its results, and an account of the collaborative experience. Contributing authors with different fields of expertise share how each model was validated, discuss relevant datasets, explain development strategies, and frankly discuss the ups and downs of the process of collaborative development. Readers are given access to the models and will also gain new perspectives from the authors’ findings, experiences, and recommendations. Today we are in the early phases of an information revolution, combining access to vast computing resources, large amounts of human data through social media, and an unprecedented richness of methods and tools to capture, analyze, explore, and test hypotheses and theories of all kinds. Thus, this book’s insights will be valuable not only to students and scholars of humanities subjects, but also to the general reader and researchers from other disciplines who are intrigued by the expansion of the information revolution all the way into the humanities departments of modern universities.
Inbunden, Engelska, 2021
549 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This unique and pioneering book critically appraises current work from both the cognitive science of religion and the evolutionary study of religion. It addresses the question: Why does the believer possess supernatural or religious beliefs in the combined context of his cognitive biases, their adaptive usefulness measured in terms of survival and reproduction, and the impact of social learning and cultural traits? The authors outlines a pluralistic approach to the study of religion that does not treat religion as an accidental by-product but an adaptation selected by natural selection. Chapters discuss the role of religious components for the evolution of cooperation and altruism, and explore the development of atheism and secular ideas, in cognitive and evolutionary terms. Topics such as the usefulness of religion, the transmission of religious beliefs, and a Darwinian approach to religion are among those addressed. Contrary to standard views, religious biases are regarded as shaped by cultural influences and not merely by natural dispositions. This monograph will particularly appeal to researchers who are looking for a scientific explanation of religion and religious beliefs but who do not stop at the level of narrow cognitive and evolutionary accounts. The work will also be of interest to students of philosophy, sociology, religious studies, theology, or anthropology who seek to explain such fascinating, complex, and unequivocal phenomena as religion and religious components.
Del 8 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Revising Cognitive and Evolutionary Science of Religion
Religion as an Adaptation
Häftad, Engelska, 2022
549 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This unique and pioneering book critically appraises current work from both the cognitive science of religion and the evolutionary study of religion. It addresses the question: Why does the believer possess supernatural or religious beliefs in the combined context of his cognitive biases, their adaptive usefulness measured in terms of survival and reproduction, and the impact of social learning and cultural traits? The authors outlines a pluralistic approach to the study of religion that does not treat religion as an accidental by-product but an adaptation selected by natural selection. Chapters discuss the role of religious components for the evolution of cooperation and altruism, and explore the development of atheism and secular ideas, in cognitive and evolutionary terms. Topics such as the usefulness of religion, the transmission of religious beliefs, and a Darwinian approach to religion are among those addressed. Contrary to standard views, religious biases are regarded as shaped by cultural influences and not merely by natural dispositions. This monograph will particularly appeal to researchers who are looking for a scientific explanation of religion and religious beliefs but who do not stop at the level of narrow cognitive and evolutionary accounts. The work will also be of interest to students of philosophy, sociology, religious studies, theology, or anthropology who seek to explain such fascinating, complex, and unequivocal phenomena as religion and religious components.
Del 9 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Sensing the Divine
Influences of Near-Death, Out-of-Body & Cognate Neurology in Shaping Early Religious Behaviours
Inbunden, Engelska, 2021
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book proposes another unique basis for the origins of religion from disturbances in brain function. It proposes the novel idea that near-death and out-of-body experiences (ND/OBE) engendered “a sense of the divine” in ancient man.As the author points out, key aspects of ND/OBE are thematic of all later established religions. These include journeys to heaven, sightings of brightly-lit godlike figures, and dead people now alive. Thus, ND/OBE could be the originating source of these spiritual motifs. To this, the author adds a fourth factor: various brain influences contribute to or modulate ND/OBE. Such cognate neurological disorders include REM-sleep intrusions, sleep paralysis, narcolepsy, and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. Errors due to aberrant switching between key neural control centers disrupt critical state-boundaries between consciousness and dreaming. This may induce NDE. Thus, in this state, subjects temporarily fail to understand where they are, undergo loss of self, and detached from the world. They imagine a “union with Gods.” Here, then, is the biological basis of ineffability.Ancient humans gained beliefs about the "supernatural" through day-to-day existence. This book argues that near death experiences and cognate neurological conditions, some genetically-determined, could have facilitated, even augmented such beliefs. Hence, in configuring another realm of “spiritual” experience beyond the known environment, these neurological possibilities offer effective traction.
Del 9 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Sensing the Divine
Influences of Near-Death, Out-of-Body & Cognate Neurology in Shaping Early Religious Behaviours
Häftad, Engelska, 2022
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book proposes another unique basis for the origins of religion from disturbances in brain function. It proposes the novel idea that near-death and out-of-body experiences (ND/OBE) engendered “a sense of the divine” in ancient man.As the author points out, key aspects of ND/OBE are thematic of all later established religions. These include journeys to heaven, sightings of brightly-lit godlike figures, and dead people now alive. Thus, ND/OBE could be the originating source of these spiritual motifs. To this, the author adds a fourth factor: various brain influences contribute to or modulate ND/OBE. Such cognate neurological disorders include REM-sleep intrusions, sleep paralysis, narcolepsy, and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. Errors due to aberrant switching between key neural control centers disrupt critical state-boundaries between consciousness and dreaming. This may induce NDE. Thus, in this state, subjects temporarily fail to understand where they are, undergo loss of self, and detached from the world. They imagine a “union with Gods.” Here, then, is the biological basis of ineffability.Ancient humans gained beliefs about the "supernatural" through day-to-day existence. This book argues that near death experiences and cognate neurological conditions, some genetically-determined, could have facilitated, even augmented such beliefs. Hence, in configuring another realm of “spiritual” experience beyond the known environment, these neurological possibilities offer effective traction.
Del 10 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Evolutionary Processes in the Natural History of Religion
Body, Brain, Belief
Inbunden, Engelska, 2021
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The study of religion by the humanities and social sciences has become receptive for an evolutionary perspective. Some proposals model the evolution of religion in Darwinian terms, or construct a synergy between biological and non-Darwinian processes. The results, however, have not yet become truly interdisciplinary. The biological theory of evolution in form of the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) is only sparsely represented in theories published so far by scholars of religion. Therefore this book reverses the line of view and asks how their results assort with evolutionary biology:How can the subject area “religion” integrated into behavioral biology?How is theory building affected by the asymmetry between the scarce empirical knowledge of prehistoric religion, and the body of knowledge about extant and historic religions?How does hominin evolution in general relate to the evolution of religion? Are there evolutionary pre-adaptations?Subsequent versions of evolutionary biology from the original Darwinism to EES are used in interdisciplinary constructs. Can they be integrated into a comprehensive theory?The biological concept most often used is co-evolution, in form of a gene-culture co-evolution. However, the term denotes a process different from biological co-evolution.Important EES concepts do not appear in present models of religious evolution: e.g. neutral evolution, evolutionary drift, evolutionary constraints etc. How to include them into an interdisciplinary approach?Does the cognitive science of religion (CSR) harmonize with behavioral biology and the brain sciences?Religion as part of human culture is supported by a complex, multi-level behavioral system. How can it be modeled scientifically? The book addresses graduate students and researchers concerned about the scientific study of religion, and biologist interested in interdisciplinarytheory building in the field.
Del 10 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Evolutionary Processes in the Natural History of Religion
Body, Brain, Belief
Häftad, Engelska, 2022
964 kr
Skickas inom 5-8 vardagar
The study of religion by the humanities and social sciences has become receptive for an evolutionary perspective. Some proposals model the evolution of religion in Darwinian terms, or construct a synergy between biological and non-Darwinian processes. The results, however, have not yet become truly interdisciplinary. The biological theory of evolution in form of the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) is only sparsely represented in theories published so far by scholars of religion. Therefore this book reverses the line of view and asks how their results assort with evolutionary biology:How can the subject area “religion” integrated into behavioral biology?How is theory building affected by the asymmetry between the scarce empirical knowledge of prehistoric religion, and the body of knowledge about extant and historic religions?How does hominin evolution in general relate to the evolution of religion? Are there evolutionary pre-adaptations?Subsequent versions of evolutionary biology from the original Darwinism to EES are used in interdisciplinary constructs. Can they be integrated into a comprehensive theory?The biological concept most often used is co-evolution, in form of a gene-culture co-evolution. However, the term denotes a process different from biological co-evolution.Important EES concepts do not appear in present models of religious evolution: e.g. neutral evolution, evolutionary drift, evolutionary constraints etc. How to include them into an interdisciplinary approach?Does the cognitive science of religion (CSR) harmonize with behavioral biology and the brain sciences?Religion as part of human culture is supported by a complex, multi-level behavioral system. How can it be modeled scientifically? The book addresses graduate students and researchers concerned about the scientific study of religion, and biologist interested in interdisciplinarytheory building in the field.
Del 11 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
God Naturalized
Epistemological Reflections on Theistic Belief in light of the New Science of Religion
Inbunden, Engelska, 2021
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This volume argues that theistic philosophy should be seen not as an “armchair” enterprise but rather as a critical endeavor to bring philosophy of religion into close contact with emerging sciences of religion. This text engages with the rationality of religious belief by investigating central problems and arguments in philosophy of religion from the perspective of new naturalistic research. A central question the book analyzes is whether findings in cognitive science of religion (CSR) falsify or undermine religious ideas and beliefs. With regard to CSR, this volume offers a sustained and critical investigation of the neutrality and positive-relevance view, before offering a re-appraisal of the conflict view. The text argues that when scrutinizing these views, much more attention must be paid to specific normative premises that allow empirical findings to have epistemic relevance. A novel feature is the theoretical application of analytical epistemology in virtue-epistemology to the central question of whether CSR undermines, supports, or is neutral with respect to religious belief. This book appeals to upper-level students and researchers in the field.
Del 11 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
God Naturalized
Epistemological Reflections on Theistic Belief in light of the New Science of Religion
Häftad, Engelska, 2022
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This volume argues that theistic philosophy should be seen not as an “armchair” enterprise but rather as a critical endeavor to bring philosophy of religion into close contact with emerging sciences of religion. This text engages with the rationality of religious belief by investigating central problems and arguments in philosophy of religion from the perspective of new naturalistic research. A central question the book analyzes is whether findings in cognitive science of religion (CSR) falsify or undermine religious ideas and beliefs. With regard to CSR, this volume offers a sustained and critical investigation of the neutrality and positive-relevance view, before offering a re-appraisal of the conflict view. The text argues that when scrutinizing these views, much more attention must be paid to specific normative premises that allow empirical findings to have epistemic relevance. A novel feature is the theoretical application of analytical epistemology in virtue-epistemology to the central question of whether CSR undermines, supports, or is neutral with respect to religious belief. This book appeals to upper-level students and researchers in the field.
Inbunden, Engelska, 2023
549 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This open access book explores how children draw god. It looks at children’s drawings collected in a large variety of cultural and religious traditions. Coverage demonstrates the richness of drawing as a method for studying representations of the divine. In the process, it also contributes to our understanding of this concept, its origins, and its development. This intercultural work brings together scholars from different disciplines and countries, including Switzerland, Japan, Russia, Iran, Brazil, and the Netherlands. It does more than share the results of their research and analysis. The volume also critically examines the contributions and limitations of this methodology. In addition, it also reflects on the new empirical and theoretical perspectives within the broader framework of the study of this concept.The concept of god is one of the most difficult to grasp. This volume offers new insights by focusing on the many different ways children depict god throughout the world. Readers will discover the importance of spatial imagery and color choices in drawings of god. They will also learn about how the divine's emotional expression correlates to age, gender, and religiosity as well as strategies used by children who are prohibited from representing their god.
Häftad, Engelska, 2023
440 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This open access book explores how children draw god. It looks at children’s drawings collected in a large variety of cultural and religious traditions. Coverage demonstrates the richness of drawing as a method for studying representations of the divine. In the process, it also contributes to our understanding of this concept, its origins, and its development. This intercultural work brings together scholars from different disciplines and countries, including Switzerland, Japan, Russia, Iran, Brazil, and the Netherlands. It does more than share the results of their research and analysis. The volume also critically examines the contributions and limitations of this methodology. In addition, it also reflects on the new empirical and theoretical perspectives within the broader framework of the study of this concept.The concept of god is one of the most difficult to grasp. This volume offers new insights by focusing on the many different ways children depict god throughout the world. Readers will discover the importance of spatial imagery and color choices in drawings of god. They will also learn about how the divine's emotional expression correlates to age, gender, and religiosity as well as strategies used by children who are prohibited from representing their god.
Inbunden, Engelska, 2024
1 346 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book explores modern European religious and non-religious rituals and their main features by focusing on music as a key element required for the full expression of beliefs. It specifically examines the relationship between religious, non-religious, pagan, cultural, celebratory, and traditional rituals. In doing so, this text focuses on the extent to which the rituals overlap, replace, or feed religious or pseudo-religious beliefs to create alternative beliefs (individual or collective) that systematically ignore any religion. The book further analyses the relationship between daily habits, holidays, sports, politics, culture, and other pagan rituals as forms that represent social feelings by identifying, enjoying, or impersonating emotions; and transversally, it explores how music facilitates and fosters those emotions. The volume also investigates how rituals coexist and mutually influence each other through a representation of religious and non-religious rituals, and how music plays a central role in that phenomenology. The author argues that music is a key part of various types of rituals (e.g. rites of passage), and that music supports and enriches the meaning of the ritual, to ultimately strengthen the bond of communication with the individual and the group. This monograph appeals to students and researchers working in religious studies and in music theory.
Del 13 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Rituals and Music in Europe
An ethnological study through data analytics
Häftad, Engelska, 2025
1 346 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book explores modern European religious and non-religious rituals and their main features by focusing on music as a key element required for the full expression of beliefs. It specifically examines the relationship between religious, non-religious, pagan, cultural, celebratory, and traditional rituals. In doing so, this text focuses on the extent to which the rituals overlap, replace, or feed religious or pseudo-religious beliefs to create alternative beliefs (individual or collective) that systematically ignore any religion. The book further analyses the relationship between daily habits, holidays, sports, politics, culture, and other pagan rituals as forms that represent social feelings by identifying, enjoying, or impersonating emotions; and transversally, it explores how music facilitates and fosters those emotions. The volume also investigates how rituals coexist and mutually influence each other through a representation of religious and non-religious rituals, and how music plays a central role in that phenomenology. The author argues that music is a key part of various types of rituals (e.g. rites of passage), and that music supports and enriches the meaning of the ritual, to ultimately strengthen the bond of communication with the individual and the group. This monograph appeals to students and researchers working in religious studies and in music theory.
Inbunden, Engelska, 2024
1 524 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book explores and sheds light on the contemporary discourse between science and religion. Employing the methodological approach of modern science, Overcoming Reductionism aims to explain natural phenomena not in isolation from philosophical or theological interpretations. The book then focuses on the concept of pain. Although pain is a phenomenon familiar to all humans, defining it exclusively in terms of nociception proves challenging. This book therefore delves into the intricate nature of the phenomenon, critically acknowledging the way pain profoundly influences the construction of one's existential meaning, particularly concerning matters of faith.
Häftad, Engelska, 2025
1 524 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book explores and sheds light on the contemporary discourse between science and religion. Employing the methodological approach of modern science, Overcoming Reductionism aims to explain natural phenomena not in isolation from philosophical or theological interpretations. The book then focuses on the concept of pain. Although pain is a phenomenon familiar to all humans, defining it exclusively in terms of nociception proves challenging. This book therefore delves into the intricate nature of the phenomenon, critically acknowledging the way pain profoundly influences the construction of one's existential meaning, particularly concerning matters of faith.
Del 15 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Pragmatic Approach to Religion And Sustainability
Inbunden, Engelska, 2024
1 849 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This volume outlines various religious practices followed across the global south and highlights their correlation to sustainability. It features more than 30 chapters from scholars across diverse disciplines, including philosophy, economics, ethics, theology, sociology, ritual studies, and education. The interdisciplinary volume mines religious rituals and practices for answers that could aid and alleviate unsustainable lifestyles. Delving deep into the cultural practices of tribal religions in India, the book highlights humanistic elements to establish sustainable ways of thinking, feeling, acting, and being. Including perspectives from Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, and tribal religious traditions, this book is a must for scholars interested in sustainability and religion in the global south.
Del 16 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Theology and Science on the Evolution of Religion
Exploring Possibilities for Dialogue
Inbunden, Engelska, 2024
1 307 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book studies the much-debated implications of sociobiology for religion. It explores the answers to questions such as: Is religion merely the result of natural selection? Do religious ideas literally make up people's minds, determining how they think and act? Critically engaging philosopher Daniel Dennett's view on cultural evolution, the book argues that the relation between religious concepts and religious believers is one of continuous, creative dialogue. This dialogical relation allows meaning to emerge and leaves room for free will, thus contradicting Dennett's position. The book provides a concise introduction to the questions at play where religion and science meet. Drawing on sources from science, philosophy and theology, it offers an example of how a constructive interaction of different disciplines can lead to new perspectives on the complex phenomenon of religion.
Del 17 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Franciscan Theological-Metaphysical Foundation of Emergence
Theology and Science in an Enriching Dialogue
Inbunden, Engelska, 2024
1 633 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book proposes a broad synthesis of the state of the art regarding the debate on the phenomenon of Emergence. Discussing from a theoretical and a theological perspective, it aims to propose a new interpretation, according to the theological and metaphysical framework offered by St Bonaventure and the Franciscan school. Identifying the main concepts, the salient, and questions that characterize the phenomenon of Emergence, the book employs a complex, multilevel and wide-ranging analysis between the wisdom of Bonaventurean theology, metaphysics, and modern scientific and metaphysical knowledge. This book is a must read for scholars and academics interested in new sapiential depths to extract and make the new and the ancient interact.
Del 18 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Talking with God
Imagination, Inspiration, and Prayer in the Age of Neuroscience
Inbunden, Engelska, 2025
1 633 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Talking with God examines the neuroscience of belief and belief change related to prayer. It puts forward a model based on neuroscience and theology to understand how God speaks to us individually and inspires us through the human capacities for language and imagination. Offering a fresh, integrated perspective for those who struggle with the dissonance between their experience in the physical world and a healing spiritual life, this work navigates a path to reconcile religious spirituality with science. It also sheds light on an integrated view of science and religious belief, accepting the physicality of consciousness while allowing for spirituality in the form of divine inspiration. Talking with God is an original academic contribution to the field of science and religion and an indispensable read for researchers and readers interested in the concept of belief and belief change from a neuroscientific perspective.
Del 19 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Sacred Reality, Digital Simulation
Ritual Form in Virtual Spaces
Inbunden, Engelska, 2025
1 307 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This study explores the relationship between the sacred and the virtual, emphasizing the sacred as a divinely dependent, consecrated space activated through ritual, mediating between the profane and the holy. The central argument is that the virtual is fundamentally incompatible with the ritual form—a concept developed by Romano Guardini and others, including Joseph Ratzinger—which holds that the sacred is not merely acknowledged but made present through ritualized actions that require tangible, participatory engagement. Even if the virtual realm were acknowledged as real and retained both the bodily presence of the faithful and the Divine Presence, the rite would still be ineffective. Virtuality prevents the proper enactment of the rite, rendering it ineffective. At its core, the ritual form is performative, embodied, and consecratory. It requires physical presence, material elements, and a structured sequence of gestures, symbols, and words that together make the divine encounter possible. Their absence in virtual spaces disrupts ritual form, compromising its sacramental function.
Del 20 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Positioning the Scholar
Epistemological and Methodological Issues in the Evolutionary Study of Religion
Inbunden, Engelska, 2025
1 416 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book presents a systematic study of the issue of positioning in the scientific study of religion. The book discusses the wider context of positioning in the study of religion, highlights the epistemological and methodological presumptions as well as the implicit goals in play in the cognitive and evolutionary approaches. Particular focus is on the contemporary evolutionary, cognitive and behavioral study of religion and the issues of positioning in the context of these research approaches. Based on this it presents an in-depth analysis of the prevalent conceptualizations of the position of the scholar in the study of religion: methodological naturalism, methodological agnosticism, neutrality and the dialogical position. Furthermore, for the first time the relevance of both evolutionary epistemology and the underdetermination of scientific research is shown for the purposes of a full evaluation of the justifiability of particular epistemological arguments. Finally, directions forward in discussing and conceptualizing the position of the scholar in the study of religion are suggested. The book is expected to be of relevance and interest for scholars of religion interested in method and theory in the study of religion, evolutionary and cognitive study of religion and other related fields.
Del 21 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Neuroscience of Religion
Integrating Brain, Mind and Beliefs
Inbunden, Engelska, 2025
1 733 kr
Skickas inom 5-8 vardagar
This book offers theologians, philosophers, and neuroscientists accessible and engaging material for navigating the complex field of the neuroscience of religion. It addresses the challenge of how scholars in the humanities can meaningfully engage with research and data from the hard sciences, demonstrating how neuroscience both influences and is influenced by philosophical and theological inquiry. With contributions from experts in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, theology, and philosophy, this collection provides a valuable starting point for exploring how empirical research can inform and enrich the study of religious experience and belief. Essential reading for scholars of religious studies, philosophy, theology, and neuroscience—especially those eager to broaden their horizons of investigation.
Inbunden, Engelska, 2026
1 271 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This volume explores the complex nature of religiosity among deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents attending residential schools in Poland. Drawing on psychological models of religion, particularly Stefan Huber’s multidimensional approach, this study examines both subjective and environmental determinants of religious development in this unique population. Key dimensions include emotional experiences of the divine, conceptual images of God, and general levels of religious commitment, all measured through standardized tools adapted for Polish Sign Language users. The book also offers a comprehensive profile of the participants, including their developmental trajectories, communication methods, and varying degrees of religious knowledge and engagement. It also analyzes the role of educational and social environments in shaping religious identity and practices. Drawing from data collected from 170 students across Poland, the study develops an evidence-based model for religious education tailored to deaf and hard-of-hearing youth, including post-educational and elderly groups in inclusive education settings. The book fills a major gap in both Polish and international scholarship, and ultimately provides essential insights for educators, religious leaders, psychologists, and policymakers engaged in the inclusive religious formation of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
Del 22 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Urban Ecotheology in the Age of Technology
Inbunden, Engelska, 2026
1 524 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book examines the evolving intersection of urban development, ecological theology, and technological transformation across diverse spiritual traditions, including Hindu, Sikh, Islamic, Catholic, and Buddhist perspectives. In an age defined by digital urbanism, artificial intelligence, and environmental crisis, this volume explores how sacred values and ecological ethics are being reinterpreted within rapidly changing urban environments. It critically engages with the tensions between technological solutionism and ecological wisdom, questioning how urban technologies shape spiritual relationships and theological understandings of creation and stewardship. Through conceptual frameworks such as the SIMRAN Framework, Nature-Maker Approach, and emerging ideas like smart theology and nAIcolonialism, the book advances a transdisciplinary dialogue between faith, sustainability, and innovation. It will appeal to scholars and practitioners in theology, sustainable architecture, urban planning, and environmental humanities.
Del 1 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Processes of Believing: The Acquisition, Maintenance, and Change in Creditions
Inbunden, Engelska, 2017
1 307 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This volume answers the question: Why do we believe what we believe? It examines current research on the concept of beliefs, and the development in our understanding of the process of believing. It takes into account empirical findings in the field of neuroscience regarding the processes that underlie beliefs, and discusses the notion that beyond the interactive exploratory analysis of sensory information from the complex outside world, humans engage in an evaluative analysis by which they attribute personal meaning and relevance to the probabilistic representations of objects and events.Beliefs exert a strong influence on behaviour, decision-making, and identifying and solving problems. Despite their importance, beliefs have until recently not been at the centre of scientific interest. In fact, “belief” is an ill-defined phenomenon. From a transdisciplinary perspective the actual approaches to understanding belief seem incompatible as they attempt to highlight such different topics as “belief – religion”, “belief – spirituality”, “belief – faith”, “belief – knowledge”, “belief – attitude”, “belief – disbelief”, “belief – illusion”, and “believing – brain function”. This situation contradicts the idea that belief is close to pathological phenomena and that it should be eliminated from scientific discussions. Rather, believing is fundamental for understanding the many problems of every-day life. In fact, the book shows that beliefs are relevant for politics, international affairs, economy, law, or religions also in modern societies. This book presents the increasing scientific interest in beliefs and believing, and reflects the change in focus from the content aspect of belief towards the fluid nature of believing.
Del 2 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Religious Cognition in China
“Homo Religiosus” and the Dragon
Inbunden, Engelska, 2017
982 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Are human tendencies toward religious and spiritual thoughts, feelings, and actions outcomes of “natural” cognition? This volume revisits the “naturalness theory of religious cognition” through discussion of new qualitative and quantitative studies examining the psychological foundations of religious and spiritual expression in historical and contemporary China. Naturalness theory has been challenged on the grounds that little of its supporting developmental and experimental research has drawn on participants from predominantly secular cultural environments. Given China’s official secularity, its large proportion of atheists, and its alleged long history of dominant, nonreligious philosophies, can any broad claim for religion’s psychological “naturalness” be plausible? Addressing this empirical gap, the studies discussed in this volume support core naturalness theory predictions for human reasoning about supernatural agency, intelligent design, the efficacy of rituals, andvitalistic causality. And yet each study elucidates, expands upon, or even challenges outright the logical assumptions of the naturalness theory. Written for a non-specialist audience, this volume introduces the naturalness theory and frames the significance of these new findings for students and scholars of cultural psychology, the psychology of religion, the anthropology of religion, and Chinese Studies.
Del 3 - New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion
Future of Creation Order
Vol. 1, Philosophical, Scientific, and Religious Perspectives on Order and Emergence
Inbunden, Engelska, 2018
1 199 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This work provides an overview of attempts to assess the current condition of the concept of creation order within reformational philosophy compared to other perspectives. Focusing on the natural and life sciences, and theology, this first volume of two examines the arguments for and against the beauty, coherence and order shown in the natural world being related to the will or nature of a Creator. It examines the decay of a Deist universe, and the idea of the pre-givenness of norms, laws and structures as challenged by evolutionary theory and social philosophy. It describes the different responses to the collapse of order: that given by Christian philosophy scholars who still argue for the idea of a pre-given world order, and that of other scholars who see this idea of stable creation order and/or natural law as redundant and in need of a thorough rethinking. It studies the particular role that reformational philosophy has played in the discussion. It shows how, ever since its inception, almost a century ago, the concepts of order and law (principle, structure) have been at the heart of this philosophy, and that one way to characterise this tradition is as a philosophy of creation order. Reformational philosophers have maintained the notion of law as ‘holding’ for reality. This book discusses the questions that have arisen about the nature of such law: is it a religious or philosophical concept; does law just mean ‘orderliness’? How does it relate to laws of nature? Have they always existed or do they ‘emerge’ during the process of evolution?