Constructing Spirituality in the Cognitive Science of Religion

Seven researchers in the growing field of the cognitive science of religion recently claimed to have documented the unique neural correlates of spirituality separate from and independent of religion. They claimed that spirituality is therefore a natural part of human cognition and suggested that the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Stoddard, Brad (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill [2020]
In: Method & theory in the study of religion
Year: 2020, Volume: 32, Issue: 3, Pages: 288-298
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Kognitive Religionswissenschaft / Spirituality
RelBib Classification:AA Study of religion
AE Psychology of religion
Further subjects:B Spirituality
B critical religion
B cognitive science of religion
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:Seven researchers in the growing field of the cognitive science of religion recently claimed to have documented the unique neural correlates of spirituality separate from and independent of religion. They claimed that spirituality is therefore a natural part of human cognition and suggested that they proved definitively that spirituality is substantively different than religion. Using insights developed by scholars associated with the critical religion approach to the academic study of religion, this article identifies a series of methodological errors that undermine the researchers’ project and that potentially impacts the larger academic study of the cognitive science of religion.
ISSN:1570-0682
Contains:Enthalten in: Method & theory in the study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15700682-12341485