Religion And Its Origins In Human Psychology

Author : Michael Kay
Publisher : Austin Macauley Publishers
Page : 426 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2024-03-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781035823949

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Religion and its Origins in Human Psychology: A View through History by Michael Kay Pdf

In an era of scientific dominance, why does religion still maintain an unshakeable grip over so many lives, dramatically impacting world events? Why did humanity first develop religious constructs and institutions? How has our relationship with the divine evolved over civilisation’s history? This book chronicles religion’s enduring role across millennia - its profound shaping of both individuals and societies. Reviewing psychological theories, it explores the evolution of our inherent need to interact with gods and the supernatural. Religion was our original “science” - humanity’s first response to the natural world and our place within it. Since then, two major transitions have revolutionised our religious approach. First, the emergence of teachers like Zoroaster, Jesus and Mohammed introduced personal and social accountability. Today, science and nationalism inherit many attributes once exclusive to faiths. Throughout history, religion also empowered rulers who claimed special divine sanction to exert authority and wage war. Despite an uneasy coexistence with science, religion perseveres because it continues answering profound human requirements at personal and collective levels. This is the innate legacy that ensures religion’s hold over life and world affairs is unlikely to ever diminish.

Author : Pascal Boyer
Publisher : Random House
Page : 448 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2008-12-26
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781407020877

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Religion Explained by Pascal Boyer Pdf

Why are there religious beliefs in all cultures? Do they have features in common and why does religion persist in the face of science? Pascal Boyer shows how experimental findings in cognitive science, evolutionary biology and cultural anthropology are now providing precise answers to these general questions, and providing, for the first time, real answers to the question: Why do we believe?

Author : James H. Leuba
Publisher : DigiCat
Page : 63 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2022-09-04
Category : Psychology
ISBN : EAN:8596547233824

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The Psychological Origin and the Nature of Religion by James H. Leuba Pdf

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Psychological Origin and the Nature of Religion" by James H. Leuba. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Author : James Henry Leuba
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 402 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 1912
Category : Psychology, Religious
ISBN : UOM:39015011691204

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A Psychological Study of Religion by James Henry Leuba Pdf

Author : Auguste Sabatier
Publisher : Good Press
Page : 190 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2019-12-12
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : EAN:4064066205973

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Outlines of a Philosophy of Religion based on Psychology and History by Auguste Sabatier Pdf

"Outlines of a Philosophy of Religion based on Psychology and History, authored by Auguste Sabatier, presents a thought-provoking exploration that intertwines philosophy, psychology, and history to delve into the complexities of religion. Sabatier's erudite approach offers a comprehensive examination of the interplay between human thought, culture, and spirituality. This book provides readers with a unique perspective on religion's evolution and significance within the framework of human experience."

Author : James Henry Leuba
Publisher : Human and Literature Publishing
Page : 77 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2023-10-29
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9782381118642

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The Psychological Origin and the Nature of Religion by James Henry Leuba Pdf

This book deals with: The psychological origin and the fundamental Nature of Religion, The Original Emotion of Primitive Religious Life; and The Function of Religion. The failure to recognise in Religion three functionally related constituents — conation, feeling, and thought — is responsible for a confusing use of the term ‘origin.’ Some have said that Religion began with the belief in superhuman, mysterious beings; others that it had its origin in the emotional life, and these usually specify fear; while a third group have declared that its genesis is to be found in the will-to-live. At this stage of our inquiry the reader realises no doubt that these three utterances are incomplete, inasmuch as each one of them expresses either the origin, or the original form, of only one of the constituents of Religion.

Author : Knight Dunlap
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 380 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 1946
Category : Psychology, Religious
ISBN : UOM:39015001431959

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Religion, Its Functions in Human Life by Knight Dunlap Pdf

It is the purpose of this book to present religion as a normal product of man's conscious processes: his desires, his fears, and especially his planning for future contingencies. In order to understand the role a religion may or may not play in the civilization of the future, it is necessary to understand the roles that the religions of the past, from which religions of the present day have developed, have played in the cultures of which they were integral parts. Only through the study of these roles is it possible to discover what religion really is. This historical or genetic method is only one part of the full comparative method that is essential for a complete study of religion. The other part of the comparative method is the comparison of religions that exist contemporaneously and which have little, if any, genetic relation to one another. The religions of civilized peoples can be understood by tracing them back to their foundations in religions of ancient cultures from which our civilization developed. This genetic method at least gives a primary understanding of the nature and functions of religion, which suffices for the purpose of this volume; the religions of civilized peoples having borrowed little from either the religions of present-day savages or those of semicivilized peoples, the full comparative method is not essential for our purposes. That the psychological problems of religion are primarily problems for group psychology and that the problems of personal religion are secondary in importance should be evident from the principle that is now generally accepted by scholars in the field of the history of religion. This principle, which is explained and illustrated in the text, is that faith develops from ritual, rather than ritual from faith.

Author : E. Rae Harcum
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 210 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2013
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780761860457

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Principles of Psychology in Religious Context by E. Rae Harcum Pdf

This book asserts that the better one understands the causes of behavior, the better one can apply that knowledge to produce a better world. It describes the mechanisms that cause human behavior, such as freedom of will, in a manner consistent with religious beliefs. It also asserts that all avenues for studying human behavior, like intuition and prayer, are acceptable and necessary. Thus, when studying the agent of human action, we must rely on faith, logic, and intuition, in addition to the full use of empirical science. Principles of Psychology for People of God begins with a description of the nervous system and continues with chapters on development, perception, internal states, learning, memory, and the ultimate selection of behaviors. Nevertheless, it steadfastly emphasizes that behavior is not produced by physical mechanisms alone, but also by a non-material spirit that can transcend some inheritances and environments.

Author : George B. Vetter
Publisher : Open Road Media
Page : 561 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2022-12-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781504081252

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Magic and Religion by George B. Vetter Pdf

This essential text on the psychology of religion studies the fundamental origins of human spirituality. In Magic and Religion, psychologist George B. Vetter approaches magico-religious behavior as a universal human phenomenon. He examines the various wide-ranging theories regarding the psychology of religion before calling for a more scientifically rigorous approach to the subject. Putting forth his own provocative and enlightening thesis, Vetter argues that magic and religion are predictable behavior patterns developed in situations that are uncontrollable, yet of momentous importance to the individual or collective. First published in 1958, Magic and Religion was a significant contribution to the psychology and sociology of religion. Hailed by some as an essential text on the subject, it was denounced by others as heresy, in part because of its frank criticism of clerical celibacy and its early advocacy for abortion rights.

Author : James H. Leuba
Publisher : Forgotten Books
Page : 397 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2015-06-24
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 1330151739

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A Psychological Study of Religion Its Origin, Function, and Future by James H. Leuba Pdf

Excerpt from A Psychological Study of Religion Its Origin, Function, and Future In April, 1896, there appeared in the American Journal of Psychology my doctor's thesis, Studies in the Psychology of Religious Phenomena, a study of Christian conversion. Since then I have continued to devote what time I could to psychological investigations of religious life, and from time to time I have published in various periodicals provisional fragments belonging to different parts of the somewhat systematic scheme I have in mind. A list of these papers will be found on page 361. In this volume I have endeavored to deal with the topics announced in the subtitle, as scientifically as their nature permits. Light comes to the problems of origins from three sources: the present customs and beliefs of the most primitive peoples known to us; the behavior and ideas of children; and the teachings of general psychology. I trust that my information in these several provinces has been on the whole sufficient to keep me on the right road. For data I have had to depend upon the work of students of anthropology, sociology, and psychology, and upon documents I have gathered myself, at first hand, either by questionnaires or by private correspondence. The explanations of religion which the psychologist and the sociologist can give leave unanswered, of course, the question of ultimate origin. But science does not come up against impassable limits any sooner when it occupies itself with religious experience than when it takes as its object any other phase of psychic life. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Author : Graham Richards
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2011-06-02
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9781441971739

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Psychology, Religion, and the Nature of the Soul by Graham Richards Pdf

Neither a book about the psychology of spirituality nor America’s ongoing turf wars between religion and science, Psychology, Religion, and the Nature of the Soul takes to task many of the presumed relationships between the two—from sharing common concerns to diametrically hostile opposites—to analyze the myriad functions religion and psychology play in our understanding of the human life and mind. Graham Richards takes the historical and philosophical long view in these rigorous and readable essays, which trace three long-running and potentially outmoded threads: that psychology and religion are irrelevant to each other, that they are complementary and should collaborate, and that one will eventually replace the other. He references a stunning variety of texts (from Freud and Allport to Karen Armstrong and Paul Tillich) reflecting the evolution of these ideas over the decades, to emphasize both the complexity of the issues and the enduring lack of easy answers. The eloquence of the writing and passionate objectivity of the argument will interest readers on all sides of the debate as the author examines: the religious origins of psychology, the original dichotomy: mythos versus logos, the authenticity of religious experience, Religion and personality, the problematic role of prayer and Religion in the history of psychotherapy. For those making a serious study of the history of psychology, Psychology, Religion, and the Nature of the Soul will inspire a fresh wave of critical discussion and inquiry.

Author : Armin W. Geertz
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 444 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2014-09-11
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781317544562

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Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture by Armin W. Geertz Pdf

Attempts to understand the origins of humanity have raised fundamental questions about the complex relationship between cognition and culture. Central to the debates on origins is the role of religion, religious ritual and religious experience. What came first: individual religious (ecstatic) experiences, collective observances of transition situations, fear of death, ritual competence, magical coercion; mirror neurons or temporal lobe religiosity? Cognitive scientists are now providing us with important insights on phylogenetic and ontogenetic processes. Together with insights from the humanities and social sciences on the origins, development and maintenance of complex semiotic, social and cultural systems, a general picture of what is particularly human about humans could emerge. Reflections on the preconditions for symbolic and linguistic competence and practice are now within our grasp. Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture puts culture centre stage in the cognitive science of religion.

Author : Kevin S. Seybold
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2017-03-16
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9781498238823

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Questions in the Psychology of Religion by Kevin S. Seybold Pdf

What does it means to be human? What is the origin of religious beliefs? Why are we moral creatures? Are religious experiences different from our everyday experiences? Is my brain involved in my experiencing God? What is a soul and do I have one? Is religion a result of evolutionary processes? How might psychology and religion relate? Religious experiences (behaviors, thoughts, and emotions) are determined, at least in part, by natural physical processes. As a result, the empirical methods used in psychology to try to identify the natural mechanisms that influence why we act, think, and feel the way we do can provide important insights into the fundamental and universal phenomena of religion. Drawing on current research from a variety of disciplines, Questions in the Psychology of Religion is appropriate for college students studying psychology, pastors as they help their congregations understand how religion and science might go together, and anyone who learns about recent discoveries in psychological science and wonders how these findings pertain to religion and religious experiences.

Author : Robin Dunbar
Publisher : Penguin UK
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2022-04-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780241431801

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How Religion Evolved by Robin Dunbar Pdf

A fascinating analysis of the evolution of religion from the internationally renowned evolutionary psychologist When did humans develop spiritual thought? What is religion's evolutionary purpose? And in our increasingly secular world, why has it endured? Every society in the history of humanity has lived with religion. In How Religion Evolved, evolutionary psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar tracks its origins back to what he terms the 'mystical stance' - the aspect of human psychology that predisposes us to believe in a transcendent world, and which makes an encounter with the spiritual possible. As he explores world religions and their many derivatives, as well as religions of experience practised by hunter-gatherer societies since time immemorial, Dunbar argues that this instinct is not a peculiar human quirk, an aberration on our otherwise efficient evolutionary journey. Rather, religion confers an advantage: it can benefit our individual health and wellbeing, but, more importantly, it fosters social bonding at large scale, helping hold fractious societies together. Dunbar suggests these dimensions might provide the basis for an overarching theory for why and how humans are religious, and so help unify the myriad strands that currently populate this field. Drawing on path-breaking research, clinical case studies and fieldwork from around the globe, as well as stories of charismatic cult leaders, mysterious sects and lost faiths, How Religion Evolved offers a fascinating and far-reaching analysis of this quintessentially human impulse - to believe.

Author : Todd Tremlin
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 243 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2010-05-07
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780199739011

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Minds and Gods by Todd Tremlin Pdf

This provocative book explains the origins and persistence of religious ideas on the basis of common structures and functions of human thought. The first general introduction to the new "cognitive science of religion," Minds and Gods presents the major themes, theories, and thinkers involved in this revolutionary new approach to human religiosity. Arguing that we cannot understand what we think until we first understand how we think, the book pursues the evolutionary forces that molded the modern human mind and continue to shape our ideas and actions today. Todd Tremlin details many of the adapted features of the brain - illustrating their operation with examples of everyday human behavior - and shows how mental endowments inherited from our ancestral past lead people to naturally entertain religious ideas. Tremlin provides a clear and comprehensive account of the developing field of the cognitive science of religion. This accessible and engaging volume is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the religious mind.