Supernatural agents : why we believe in souls, gods, and buddhas / Ilkka Pyysiainen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pyysiäinen, Ilkka.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psychology, Religious.

Cognitive science.

Soul.

Buddhas.

Gods.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (300 p.)

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The cognitive science of religion is a rapidly growing field whose practitioners apply insights from advances in cognitive science in order to provide a better understanding of religious impulses, beliefs, and behaviors. This book shows how this methodology can profitably be used in the comparative study of beliefs about superhuman agents.

Contents:

Preface; Note on Transliteration; Contents; PART I: Human Agency; 1. Religion: Her Ideas of His Ideas of Their Ideas . . .; 2. Mind Your Heads; PART II: Supernatural Agency; 3. Souls, Ghosts, and Shamans; 4. God as Supernatural Agent; 5. Buddhist Supernatural Agents; 6. Conclusion; Appendix: Cognitive Processes and Explaining Religion; Notes; Sources and Literature; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y; Z

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [229]-280) and index.

Description based on print version record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

0-19-974572-2

1-282-26741-8

0-19-970175-X

9786612267413

OCLC:

535923556