Magic, miracles, and religion
Subtitle: a scientist's perspective
By: by Ilkka Pyysiäinen.
Series: Cognitive science of religion series
Publisher: AltMira Press
Published: 2004
Place of publication: Walnut Creek, CA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 277
Subjects: Psychology, Religious
Description: "Can scientists study religion? Ilkka Pyysiainen says they can. While the study of religion cannot be reduced to other disciplines, it must not ignore what other disciplines have learned about human thought and behavior. In this collection of essays, Pyysiainen shows how findings from cognitive science can offer new directions to debates in religion. After providing a historical and theoretical overview of the cognitive science of religion, Pyysiainen demonstrates how knowledge of the mind's workings can help deconstruct such concepts as "God," "ideology," "culture," "magic," "miracles," and "religion." For scholars of religion and for scholars of the mind and brain, Magic, Miracles, and Religion provides a helpful overview to this emerging field."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 232-268) and index.