Cognitive science of religion
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Cognitive Science of Religion "seeks to understand how the innovation and transmission of patterns of religious belief and action is constrained and shaped by neurological and cognitive mechanisms."[1] It uses cognitive theories to help explain why religious thought is common among humans.[2]
Experts in the field
Experts in the field include Justin L. Barrett, senior researcher at the University of Oxford, Pascal Boyer, Henry Luce Professor of Individual and Collective Memory at Washington University in St. Louis, and Harvey Whitehouse.
Publications in the field
- Barrett, J.L. "Cognitive Science of Religion: What Is It and Why Is It?" Religion Compass. 2007, vol 1.
- Barrett, J.L. "Exploring the Natural Foundations of Religion." Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2000, vol. 4 pp 29-34
- Barrett, J.L. Why Would Anyone Believe in God? AltaMira Press, 2004.
- Boyer, Pascal. Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. Basic Books, 2001
- Boyer, Pascal. "Religious Thought and Behavior as By-Products of Brain Functions," Trends in Cognitive Schiences, vol 7, pp 119-24
- McCauley, RN and Lawson, ET. Bringing Ritual to Mind: Psychological Foundations of Cultural Forms. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
- Thagard, P. Mind: Introduction to Cognitive Science. MIT Press, 1996.
References
- ^ http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/CognitionCulture/Research/CognitiveScienceofReligion/
- ^ Barrett, J.L. "Cognitive Science of Religion: What Is It and Why Is It?" Religion Compass. 2007, vol 1
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