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Religious Cognition as Social Cognition

Publication date: 14.12.2015

Studia Religiologica, 2015, Volume 48, Issue 4, pp. 301 - 312

https://doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.15.022.4761

Authors

Hans Van Eyghen
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Titles

Religious Cognition as Social Cognition

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the relationship between social cognition and religious cognition. Many cognitive theories of religion claim that these two forms are somehow related, but the details are usually left unexplored and insights from theories of social cognition are not taken on board. I discuss the three main (groups of) theories of social cognition, namely the theory-theory, the simulation theory and enactivist theories. Secondly, I explore how these theories can help to enrich a number of cognitive theories of religion. The theories I discuss are Stewart Guthrie’s anthropomorphism, Justin Barrett’s hyperactive agency detection device, Jesse Bering’s existential theory of mind, Pascal Boyer’s minds with full strategic access and Tanya Luhrmann’s porous theory of mind. Finally, I look at how enrichment with insights from social cognition can help to combine different existing theories of religious cognition into a unified framework.

References

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Information

Information: Studia Religiologica, 2015, Volume 48, Issue 4, pp. 301 - 312

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

Religious Cognition as Social Cognition

English:

Religious Cognition as Social Cognition

Authors

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Published at: 14.12.2015

Article status: Open

Licence: None

Percentage share of authors:

Hans Van Eyghen (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

-

Publication languages:

English

View count: 1874

Number of downloads: 1165

<p> Religious Cognition as Social Cognition</p>