The New Sciences of Religion
What does it mean to take a scientific approach to the study of religion? Does a scientific study of religion disprove the existence of God, the reality of Nirvana, the possibilities of miracles, and the hopes of a life beyond death?
There is more functional diversity within a great tradition than between great traditions.
Early social theorists on religion all used some version of Marx's base-superstructure model of causation, though they may not have used the exact terms. Some natural or material factor that determines the beliefs and behaviors of individuals.
We can now talk about a global marketplace for religions. The fastest-growing religions are Islam, Pentecostal Christianity, and amorphous New Age-type syntheses. The first two are "irreversible investments"; the latter can be thought of as a "diversified portfolio."
Religions contribute to group survival and reproduction in diverse environments and in competition with other human groups. Religions provide a way to promote group solidarity and cooperation.
A fuller taxonomy of religious experience needs to be developed, detailed, and correlated with different brain states and cognitive theories of religion.
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