The Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion (OXFORD HANDBOOKS SERIES)

"Over time, more psychologists have become contributors to cognitive science of religion (CSR), but when are they doing CSR and when are they doing psychology of religion? Does it matter? In this chapter, contemporary scientific reflections on notions of death and the afterlife are sketched to illustrate the subtle differences between CSR and psychology of religion. These kindred scientific approaches overlap considerably, but attention to their central differences will assist scholars in finding complementarity, thereby improving both schools of inquiry and their contributions to each other. After developing this thesis, this chapter introduces the organization and flow of the volume as a whole. Beginning with general theoretical and methodological foundations, the volume then considers specific applications of CSR to substantive topics such as beliefs in gods, sacred texts, sacred objects, and ritualized behaviors, before turning to how these domains of cultural expression are sometimes joined (or not) into religious systems. The volume ends with comparisons between CSR and two other neighboring approaches (evolutionary studies of religion and neuroscience of religion) and, finally, implications of CSR for philosophy of religion, religious education, and theology"-- Provided by publisher Cover The Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion Edited by Justin L. Barrett Copyright Contents List of Contributors Part I: Historical, Theoretical, and Methodological Foundations of CSR 1. Ghostly Relationships: Differentiating Cognitive Science of Religion and Psychology of Religion 2. The Historical Genesis of Cognitive Science of Religion 3. Philosophical Foundations of Cognitive Science of Religion 4. The Cognitive Study of Religious Activity: Beyond Religion and Belief Part II: Religious Concepts 5. Gods: Cognition, Culture, and Ecology 6. The Nature of Humans 7. The Nature of the World Part III: Religious Actions 8. Explaining and Solving Practical Problems Supernaturally 9. Mortuary Practices Part IV: Religious Objects 10. Scripturalism: A Theory 11. Special Objects Part V: Religious Experiences 12. Conceiving Religious Dreams and Mystical Experiences: A Predictive Processing Investigation 13. Extreme Rituals Part VI: Forming Religious Systems 14. Key Ingredients for a World Religion: Insights from Cognitive and Evolutionary Science 15. What Is the Role of Ritual in Binding Communities Together? 16. The Failure of Religious Systems Part VII: CSR’s Relations and Implications 17. Neuroscience of Religion 18. Soul Mates? Conflicts and Complementarities in the Evolutionary and Cognitive Sciences of Religion 19. CSR and Religious Belief: Epistemic Friends or Foes? 20. The Cultural and Developmental Niche of Religious Cognitions: Educational Implications of the Cognitive Science of Religion 21. Lived Faith and Cognitive Intuitions: Some Theological Implications of Cognitive Science of Religion Index Why have religious beliefs and behaviors been nearly universal in human societies? What accounts for similarities and differences across time and across cultures? Could the answer lie in the human brain? Scholars in the cognitive science of religion (CSR) believe that it can- the prevalence of religion is a result of the way our minds work. CSR advances in psychology explain various patterns in religious thought and action. This scientific approach has grown rapidly over the past couple of decades. However, it has often been conflated with related subjects such as evolution and neuroscience. CSR is neither: it straddles the line between cognitive sciences and the study of religion.The Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion directly identifies CSR's unique contributions and clarifies its relationship to neighboring disciplines. With contributions from the field's founders and its rising stars, this volume offers a critical overview of more than 25 years of research. From discussions of human nature to the role of ritual, the contributors offer comprehensive and in-depth analysis of key questions in CSR. Readers will have a variety of entry points to truly grasp where CSR has been, where it is, and where it might go. Why have religious beliefs and behaviors been nearly universal in human societies? What accounts for similarities and differences across time and across cultures? Could the answer lie in the human brain? Scholars in the cognitive science of religion (CSR) believe that it can- the prevalence of religion is a result of the way our minds work. CSR advances in psychology explain various patterns in religious thought and action. This scientific approach has grown rapidly over the past couple of decades. However, it has often been conflated with related subjects such as evolution and neuroscience. CSR is neither: it straddles the line between cognitive sciences and the study of religion. The Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion directly identifies CSR's unique contributions and clarifies its relationship to neighboring disciplines. With contributions from the field's founders and its rising stars, this volume offers a critical overview of more than 25 years of research. From discussions of human nature to the role of ritual, the contributors offer comprehensive and in-depth analysis of key questions in CSR. Readers will have a variety of entry points to truly grasp where CSR has been, where it is, and where it might go. This edited volume represents a snapshot the current state cognitive science of religion with contributions from many well-established contributors to the field as well as a few newcomers. The first section broadly sets the historical and theoretical stage. Its three chapters introduce readers to the historical, theoretical, and methodological foundations of CSR. Next, rather than treating "religion" as a whole, the topical space is divided into religious concepts, actions, objects, and experiences. With these pieces in place, authors in the subsequent section consider how various components combine to form religious systems, and conditions under which religious systems change or fail. Several chapters offer comparisons between cognitive science of religion and neighboring efforts The Oxford Handbook of the Cognitive Science of Religion is the most authoritative and comprehensive examination of the growing field of CSR. With contributions from the field's founders and its rising stars, this volume offers a critical overview of more than 25 years of research.