Religion As Make-Believe : A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Van Leeuwen, Neil.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Belief and doubt.

Faith and reason.

Group identity.

Imagination (Philosophy).

Psychology, Religious.

Values--Religious aspects.

Values.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (311 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Harvard University Press, 2023.

Summary:

Drawing on a range of hard evidence, Neil Van Leeuwen shows that the psychological mechanisms underlying religious belief are the same as those enabling imaginative play. He argues that we should therefore understand religious belief as a form of make-believe that people use to define their group identity and express the values sacred to them.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Prologue: The Parable of the Playground

1. The Attitude Dimension

2. A Theory of Cognitive Attitudes

3. Religious Credence Is Not Factual Belief

4. Evidence around the World

5. To "Believe" Is Not What You "Think"

6. Identity and Groupish Belief

7. Sacred Values

8. The Puzzle of Religious Rationality

Epilogue: The Playground Expanded

Notes

References

Acknowledgments

Index

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9780674294929

0674294920

9780674294936

0674294939

OCLC:

1403885692