Pascal Boyer is een cognitief wetenschapper en antropoloog die bekend staat om zijn werk op het gebied van de cognitieve religiewetenschap. Zijn onderzoek duikt in de psychologische grondslagen van religieuze overtuigingen en praktijken, en onderzoekt hoe de menselijke geest religieuze concepten op natuurlijke wijze verwerkt en doorgeeft. Boyer's benadering combineert inzichten uit de antropologie en psychologie om de universele patronen van religieus denken in diverse culturen te begrijpen.
The collection features a series of essays where anthropologists engage in a critical examination of the unique characteristics of religious concepts and categories. Through their debates, they explore the complexities of belief systems, the cultural contexts that shape them, and the implications for understanding religion in a broader anthropological framework. The work invites readers to consider diverse perspectives on how religion is conceptualized and categorized across different societies.
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?
A watershed book that masterfully integrates insights from evolutionary biology, genetics, psychology, economics, and more to explore the development and workings of human societies "There is no good reason why human societies should not be described and explained with the same precision and success as the rest of nature." Thus argues evolutionary psychologist Pascal Boyer in this uniquely innovative book. Integrating recent insights from evolutionary biology, genetics, psychology, economics, and other fields, Boyer offers precise models of why humans engage in social behaviors such as forming families, tribes, and nations, or creating gender roles. In fascinating, thought-provoking passages, he explores questions such as, Why is there conflict between groups? Why do people believe low-value information such as rumors? Why are there religions? What is social justice? What explains morality? Boyer provides a new picture of cultural transmission that draws on the pragmatics of human communication, the constructive nature of memory in human brains, and human motivation for group formation and cooperation.
Focusing on oral communication, this book explores the significant role of licensed speakers within ritual contexts, highlighting how tradition is conveyed and perceived. It examines the interplay between tradition and truth, emphasizing the unique methods through which cultural narratives are shared and maintained. The analysis reveals the complexities of communication in preserving and transmitting societal values and beliefs.
The collection features seven previously published articles that are newly contextualized within contemporary debates in anthropology, psychology, and human evolution. It advocates for an 'integrated' social science approach, blending insights from evolutionary biology, experimental psychology, economics, anthropology, and history. This work aligns with E. O. Wilson's idea of 'consilience,' promoting a multidisciplinary framework for addressing complex social science questions, making it a significant addition to the evolving discourse in the field.
Warum der Mensch sich seinen Gott und seine Götter erdenken muß, erläutert Pascal Boyer in einer glänzenden Studie, die einen Bogen von der Hirnforschung über die Neurobiologie zur Sprachforschung, Psychologie, Evolutionsforschung bis hin zu den Religionswissenschaften schlägt. Gott und Götter ermöglichen die Sinngebung des oft scheinbar Sinnlosen. Das menschliche Vertrauen darauf spiegelt sich in der Bedeutung, wie unverzichtbar die sozialen und kommunikativen Aufgaben der Religionen waren und sind. Und zwar auch dann, wenn Arbeit, Geld, Ideologie, Nation oder Sport die sehr weltlichen Rollen von Religionen übernommen haben. Gäbe es Gott und Götter nicht, man müßte sie erfinden, aber die dazugehörigen Religionen von Grund auf verändern, so die These von Pascal Boyer. Sicher ist jedenfalls, daß das 21. Jahrhundert durch die Religionen in Atem gehalten wird.
Pourquoi existe-t-il des religions dans le monde ? Ont-elles une origine commune ? Pourquoi les gens sont-ils croyants ? Nous sommes ici face aux interrogations les plus fondamentales, les plus intemporelles et peut-être les plus cruciales pour l'avenir des hommes sur la terre. A ces questions brûlantes, Pascal Boyer apporte des réponses concrètes en s'appuyant sur des recherches en sciences du cerveau, en anthropologie, en psychologie et en biologie de l'évolution.0Cette approche croisée permet non seulement de comprendre enfin pourquoi la religion existe, mais aussi pourquoi la force de ces croyances peut pousser les hommes au don de soi mais aussi à l'intolérance et au fanatisme. Bouleversé par cet essai qui a changé son regard sur les croyants, Joseph Béhé en livre une adaptation graphique remarquable
