An Introduction To The Cognitive Science Of Religion by Claire White

This accessible introductory text surveys how cognitive science explains religious thought and practice, reviewing core theories and empirical findings from psychology, anthropology and neuroscience. It explains cognitive mechanisms such as theory of mind, agency detection, intuitive versus reflective processing, and the appeal of minimally counterintuitive concepts, and shows how these interact with memory, emotion, ritual and social transmission to produce and sustain religious beliefs. The book also examines developmental and cross-cultural evidence, considers evolutionary and cultural-evolutionary accounts, and discusses methodological challenges and implications for studying religion scientifically.

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