REL 307(S) Thinking Gods: Cognitive Theories of Religion
Although it is still in its infancy, the so-called "cognitive turn" has already become one of the most exciting contemporary developments in the study of religion. During the past twenty years, scholars influenced by cognitive science have begun to formulate new models and challenge old assumptions about human religiosity and its relationship to the mind. In so doing, they have articulated theories about the evolutionary origins of religious concepts, reassessed the role of memory and of counterintuitive explanations in the perpetuation of religious ideas, and developed new concepts such as "theological incorrectness" and "systematic anthropomorphism." By examining the cutting-edge work produced by members of this movement on both sides of the Atlantic, this seminar for advanced students will trace the historical roots of the cognitive turn and introduce some of its most important recent products. Authors to be considered include Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Feuerbach, Jean-Pierre Dupuy, D. Jason Slone, Pascal Boyer, Veikko Anttonen, Scott Atran, Richard Dawkins, Dan Sperber, and Ilkka Pyysiäinen.
Format: seminar. Requirements: active participation, class presentations, short writing assignments, and a take-home final exam.
Prerequisites: Religion 101 or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit 19 (expected: 15). Preference given to Religion majors and Cognitive Science concentrators.
Hour: JOSEPHSON