What is the significance of Freud's theories in the context of religion?
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They explore the psychological underpinnings of religious beliefs.
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What is the significance of Freud's theories in the context of religion?
They explore the psychological underpinnings of religious beliefs.
In which book does Freud refer to religion as an illusion?
The Future of an Illusion.
What did Sigmund Freud believe religion was an expression of?
Underlying psychological neuroses and distress.
According to Barrett (2010), how should religious beliefs and practices be understood?
As nonfunctional products of human cognitive mechanisms that are functional outside of religion.
What are examples of cognitive mechanisms discussed in the context of religion?
Hyperactive agent detection device and minimally counterintuitive concepts.
What criticism does Freud have regarding religion?
He critiques it for being unwelcoming and harsh towards non-members.
How did some 19th-century missionaries view 'primitive superstition'?
They were generally unsympathetic but developed a scholarly interest in it.
Who crystallized the scholarly interest in early types of religious creed?
Edward B. Tylor in his work 'Primitive Culture'.
What significant role do taboos play according to Freud?
They still play a significant role in modern society.
What is the connection between minds and Gods as per Tremlin's perspective?
Supernatural beings and the religious systems they are part of are mental conceptions acquired and transmitted by the human brain.
What role did Freud believe religion played in human behavior?
Religion was necessary to help restrain violent impulses.
What approaches began to develop in the 1970s that influenced cognitive science of religion?
Sociobiology and evolutionary psychology.
Who first surveyed animistic beliefs competently?
Sir Edward Burnett Tylor in his work 'Primitive Culture' (1871).
What term describes humans in relation to religion according to the text?
Homo religiousus.
Which early theorists of religion are assessed in the work by Abalogu & Okolo?
Edward B. Tylor, James G. Frazer, and Sigmund Freud.
What concern does Freud express about uneducated individuals without religion?
They may commit murder if not told that God forbids it.
What theory did Edward B. Tylor champion against the degradation theory?
Development theory.
What concept from biology is applied to explain the cognitive by-product explanation of religion?
The concept of spandrel.
What does Freud suggest about the historical worth of religious doctrines?
He believes it increases respect for them but argues they shouldn't be the basis for civilization's precepts.
What does Freud propose should replace the effects of repression?
The results of the rational operation of the intellect.
What does Tremlin illustrate about the brain's features?
He details adapted features of the brain and how they lead people to naturally entertain religious ideas.
How did Edward B. Tylor define religion?
As belief in spiritual beings, originating as explanations of natural phenomena.
What does Mircea Eliade emphasize in his theories?
The longing for the sacred.
What is the relationship between modern scholarship's concern with animism and the understanding of religion?
It is linked to the rational or scientific understanding of religion itself.
What is the conclusion drawn about religious beliefs in the paper?
Religious beliefs and practices should be understood as arising from the normal functioning of the human mind.
What does Boyer's work 'Religion Explained' discuss?
The human instinct that fashions gods, spirits, and ancestors.
What is the main focus of functional theories of religion?
The social or psychological functions that religion has for a group or a person.
What is the main theme of Bloom's 'The American Religion'?
The emergence of a post-Christian nation in America.
What does Sigmund Freud's theory address in relation to religion?
The psychological origin of religious beliefs.
What minimum definition of religion did Tylor propose?
The belief in spiritual beings.
What is the main focus of scholars in the cognitive science of religion?
To explain how human minds acquire, generate, and transmit religious thoughts and practices.
What question did Tylor seek to answer regarding animism?
What is the most rudimentary form of religion which may yet bear that name?
What does Ejizu (2008) define religion as?
Man’s experience of the holy and ultimate reality, as well as the expression of awareness in concrete life.
What do religions claim to save mankind from?
The sense of guilt, which they refer to as sin.
What did Freud consider religion to be?
An illusion and a belief that people wanted to be true.
What did Tylor think would accompany the expansion of belief in spiritual beings?
More elaborate religious doctrines and rites designed to influence powerful spirits.
How does Paul James define religion?
As a 'relatively bounded system of beliefs, symbols, and practices' that addresses existence through communion.
What are the classes into which theories of religion are divided?
Substantive theories, functional theories, and social relational theories.
What does substantive theory focus on?
The value of religion for its adherents.
How did Tylor view animism in its simplest form?
As a crude childlike natural philosophy leading to a doctrine of universal vitality.
What criticism is made about Tylor's portrayal of believers in animism?
They are depicted as 'armchair primitives' rather than real individuals facing life's challenges.
What is suggested about the religious ideas of 'Stone Age' hunters?
They have been far from simple and evolved over time.
What has been the trend in cognitive science of religion since 2000?
It has grown rapidly with more researchers becoming involved.
What did Tylor consider practices and beliefs in modern societies that resemble those of primitive societies?
Survivals.
What has led to myriad definitions of religion over the years?
Different scholars and authorities have seen religion as having a role in every human being.
Who focused on the social function of religions?
Émile Durkheim.
What did Tylor assert about dreams and their relation to spiritual beliefs?
People would reason that dreams of dead kin or distant friends were proof of the existence of souls.
How did Tylor view the evolution of cultures?
He believed cultures moved from simpler to more complex forms, though not along a single path.
What term describes humans in relation to religion according to the paper?
Homo religiosus.
What does Tremlin (2006) suggest about the cognitive foundations of religion?
He suggests that the brain's functioning is central to understanding why people believe in supernatural beings.
How does the brain interact with the external world according to Tremlin?
It interprets and interacts with the external world, concerning both the physical system and mental conceptions.
What limitation did Tylor impose on his study of animism?
He focused primarily on the cognitive aspects, neglecting the emotional and passionate dimensions.
How do contemporary thinkers view the premise of animism as a reflection of human intellect?
They consider it to be rooted in a profoundly mistaken premise.
What do anthropologists believe about contemporary cultures and religions since the mid-20th century?
They regard them as comparable, reflecting fully evolved human intelligence.
What theory of religion did Edward Burnett Tylor propose?
Animism.
What is clear about the appeal of historically given creeds to educated minds?
No historically given creed has an inevitable appeal to them.
What assumption does cognitive theory make about humans?
That humans are logical beings who make choices.
What do substantive theories in religion focus on?
Otherworldly perfection, the quest for meaning, and the search for patterns in mythology.
What does the book 'Minds and Gods' aim to illuminate?
The nature of religion and human nature, including why we think and act as we do.
What is a painful realization about humanity's view of life according to the text?
The majority of mortals will never be able to rise above a simplistic view of life.
What does Bloom (1992) argue about Freud's view on religion?
He believes Freud underestimated religion, making his criticisms unconvincing.
How did Frazer's classification of magic differ from earlier anthropological descriptions?
Frazer claimed magic was initially separate from religion and invariably preceded it.
What is Freud's explanation for the persistence of religion?
It is a largely unconscious neurotic response to repression.
Who are the three scholars discussed in the paper regarding early theories of religion?
Edward B. Tylor, James G. Frazer, and Sigmund Freud.
What does Tylor's development theory suggest about animistic beliefs?
They exhibit great variety and are uniquely suited to their cultures and natural settings.
In which text does Freud express critical views on civilization?
Civilization and Its Discontents.
What original act does Freud associate with the beginnings of social organization and religion?
An act of patricide, the killing and devouring of 'the violent primal father.'
What does the cognitive science of religion reveal about human religiosity?
It shows that humans can only accommodate religious ideas that their brains can understand, making these concepts personally compelling.
How does Frazer distinguish between magic and religion?
Magic is used to influence the natural world, while religion is faith in deities that govern the world.
What is Frazer's theory of cultural evolution?
It describes three spheres through which cultures pass over time: magic, religion, and science.
What is the relationship between animism and inanimate objects according to Tylor?
Animism originated from the primordial mistake of attributing life, soul, or spirit to inanimate objects.
What does Ejizu's work address regarding religion?
The interconnection between religion and morality in public life.
What did Tylor believe about the presence of religion in cultures?
He thought religion was present in all cultures and might be found everywhere.
How does Freud describe all religious beliefs?
As illusions and insusceptible of proof.
How are theories of religion defined according to scholars?
As universal characteristics of religious belief and practice.
What does Freud argue about dogmatic religious training?
It contributes to a weakness of intellect by limiting inquiry.
What is the main subject of Tremlin's book 'Minds and Gods'?
The cognitive foundation of religion.
How did Frazer define religion?
In terms of belief in personal, supernatural forces and attempts to appease them.
What narrative did Frazer propose regarding human thought?
A narrative of secularization and disenchantment.
Who was James George Frazer?
A Scottish social anthropologist and folklorist influential in the early studies of mythology and comparative religion.
What is the title of Frazer's most famous work?
The Golden Bough (1890).
What are the three stages of human belief according to Frazer?
Primitive magic, religion, and science.
What is implied about the nature of beliefs in societies lacking doctrinal establishments?
An open system of beliefs was more likely to flourish than a closed one.
Can Frazer's theory of cultural evolution reverse?
Yes, it was not absolute and could reverse.
What is the focus of the theories discussed in the references?
The proliferation of religions worldwide and their cognitive mechanisms.
What do the early theories of religion by Tylor, Frazer, and Freud focus on?
They assess the genesis of gods and the social formation of religion in relation to biology and cognitive processes.
What disciplines contribute to the cognitive science of religion?
Cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, cognitive anthropology, artificial intelligence, neurotheology, developmental psychology, and archaeology.
What do theories of religion attempt to explain?
The origin and function of religion.
What three aspects of early theories of religion are intended to be discussed?
(a) Evolutionary content, (b) Intellectual content, (c) Nexus with cognitive theorizing.
Which scholar's work is exemplary of social relational theories?
Charles Taylor's book on the Secular Age.
What historical question does the text raise about belief in gods?
What makes belief in supernatural beings so widespread and why are the gods of different cultures so similar?
How does Tremlin (2006) explain the origins of religious ideas?
By examining the common structures and functions of human thought through a scientific lens.
What does the book 'Minds and Gods' aim to study?
The evolutionary forces that shaped the modern human mind and continue to influence our ideas and actions.
According to Pals (1996), why do people have faith?
Because beliefs make sense and hold value for them.
What aspect of religion does Rudolf Otto focus on?
The importance of religious experience, particularly fascinating and terrifying experiences.
What major event in the 1950s contributed to the development of cognitive science of religion?
The cognitive revolution.
What process does James George Frazer describe regarding the evolution of religion?
He describes a process from magic to science.
How did Tylor view the evolution of religious beliefs?
He believed they grew more sophisticated via monotheist religions and eventually to science.
Which theorist is associated with the role of religion in capitalist and pre-capitalist societies?
Karl Marx.
What role does Freud believe religion plays in civilization?
It provides defense against the superior force of nature and addresses shortcomings of civilization.
What is a key characteristic of the functional approach to religion?
It tends to be static, except for Marx's theory.
What fundamental questions does the paper address regarding religion?
The origin and formation of religion.
What problem regarding religion has been noted in the text?
The long-standing and unaddressed problem of defining religion.
What historical period does 'early theories of religion' refer to?
A time without modern technologies that organized religious and philosophical development.
What dichotomy does Paul James's approach to religion avoid?
The dichotomy between the immanent and transcendental.
What concept related to religion was explored by Stephen Jay Gould?
Expatiation.
What does functional perspective examine in relation to religion?
What religion does.
How does the paper conclude regarding faith and beliefs?
They arise from the normal function of the human mind.
What does the term 'animism' denote?
A worldview consistent with a range of religious beliefs and practices, not a single creed.
What method did Tylor and Frazer use in their studies?
They sought similar beliefs and practices across societies, especially primitive ones, relying on reports from missionaries and colonial civil servants.
What role does magic play in primitive societies according to Frazer?
It is used to influence the natural world in the struggle for survival.
Who authored 'Religion's evolutionary landscape'?
Atran, S. & Norenzayan, A.
What does Freud attribute the creation of gods to?
Humans and their psychic powers.
Who are the authors of 'An Assessment of the Early Theories of Religion'?
Divine M. Abalogu and Ekenedilichukwu A. Okolo.
What is the aim of the work discussed in the text?
To study the early theories of religion by Tylor, Frazer, and Freud.
What do social relational theories of religion emphasize?
The nature or social form of beliefs and practices.
What does Agbikimi (2014) say about theories?
They are a coherently arranged body of explanation, rules, ideas, principles, and techniques for comprehension.
What is Freud's hope for the future regarding science and religion?
That science will go beyond religion and reason will replace faith in God.
How did Freud's view of religion change after writing The Future of an Illusion?
His essentially negative view changed somewhat, though specifics are not detailed.
What do substantive or essentialist theories focus on?
The contents of religions and the meaning those contents have for people.
When did the serious scientific study of religion begin?
At least in the late nineteenth century.
What does cognitive science of religion consider?
The results of earlier research within anthropology and sociology of religion in the context of evolutionary and cognitive theories.
What methods were used in the research for the paper?
Library and internet sources.
What is the minimal definition of religion according to Tylor?
Belief in spiritual beings.
What does cognitive theory attempt to explain according to Agbikimi?
Human behavior by understanding the thought process.
How did Freud view the Oedipal complex in relation to religion?
As an attempt to control it.
How does Bloom compare psychoanalysis and Christianity?
He suggests both are interpretations of the world and human nature, with similar illusions and delusions.
What source often provided information on newly discovered peoples in America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania?
Christian missionaries.
What is the significance of the definition of religion in this work?
It provides a coherent and understandable linkage with the assessment intended for the work.
What are the two perspectives from which the scholars approached religion?
Substantive theory and functional perspectives.
What concept did animism represent to 19th-century intellectuals influenced by Darwin?
A key to understanding the primitive mind and early cultural evolution.
How does Freud describe certain religious beliefs in 'The Future of an Illusion'?
As neurotic relics that should not be used as reasons for civilization's precepts.
What did Freud analyze in his work 'Totem and Taboo'?
The rules against incest in primitive tribes and the role of totems and taboos.
What concept did Tylor use to explain religion?
Animism.
What works by Sigmund Freud are mentioned in relation to religion?
Totem and Taboo, and The Future of an Illusion.
What did Frazer assert about the belief in magic?
It relied on an uncritical belief in contact and imitation.
What is the focus of the book 'Seven Theories of Religion' by Daniel L. Pals?
It discusses various theories related to religion.
What is the title of Freud's work discussed in the edited volume by O'Neill and Aktar?
'The Future of an Illusion'.
What was Frazer's view on the relationship between magic and science?
Frazer believed magic and science were similar due to their emphasis on experimentation and practicality.
What does Freud mean by repression?
Civilized society demands that we do not fulfill all our desires immediately.
How did Freud's view of religion differ from Tylor and Frazer?
Freud saw religion as a neurotic response, while Tylor and Frazer viewed it as a rational attempt to explain the natural world.
What concern did Frazer express about magic?
He feared that widespread belief in magic could empower the masses, reflecting biases against lower-class people.
How did Freud view God in relation to religion?
Freud regarded God as an illusion based on the infantile need for a powerful father figure.
What did Tylor believe was the origin of belief in spirits?
It grew out of attempts to explain life and death.
What is the significance of religion according to the paper?
It is an important aspect of human life.
What organization was formed in 2006 to bring together researchers in cognitive science of religion?
The International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion.
What did Tylor argue about the primitive understanding of dreams?
Primitive ancestors assumed that the dead were still alive in some spiritual form.
What did Tylor believe about the psyches of all peoples?
He assumed they are more or less the same across all times.
