What Is a Science of Religion?

Philosophy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-503
Author(s):  
Kwame Anthony Appiah
Keyword(s):  
Max Weber ◽  
Sociology Of Religion ◽  
The Other ◽  
Emile Durkheim ◽  
Shared Reality ◽  
Founding Fathers ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
Truth Claims ◽  
Science Of Religion ◽  
The One

AbstractModern sociology and anthropology proposed from their very beginnings a scientific study of religion. This paper discusses attempts to understand religion in this ‘scientific’ way. I start with a classical canon of anthropology and sociology of religion, in the works of E. B. Tylor (1832–1917), Max Weber (1864–1920) and Émile Durkheim (1858–1917). Science aims to be a discourse that transcends local identities; it is deeply cosmopolitan. To offer a local metaphysics as its basis would produce a discourse that was not recognizable as a contribution to the cosmopolitan conversation of the sciences. So, a science of religion cannot appeal to the entities invoked in any particular religion; hence the methodological atheism of these three founding fathers. This cosmopolitan ideal, the calling of the scientist, on the one hand, and the concern to understand the ideas of other cultures, on the other, can pull in different directions. Understanding requires us to appeal to our own concepts but not to our own truths. In the explanations, though, truth – the universal shared reality – has to matter, because the scientific story of religion has to work for people of all faiths and none, precisely because it is cosmopolitan. Not everything we call a religion will have historical Christianity's laser-like focus on ontological truth-claims. But as long as there are people making truth-claims in the name of religion, there will be the possibility of a tension between the very idea of a science of religion and some of the multifarious collections of beliefs, practices and institutions that make up what we now call ‘religions’.

scholarly journals Joseph Femia (ed.), Vilfredo Pareto (London: Ashgate, 2009)

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Baruchello
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Max Weber ◽  
The Other ◽  
Emile Durkheim ◽  
Founding Fathers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Auguste Comte

All contemporary textbooks in the social sciences hail Vilfredo Pareto (1848—1923) as one of the founding fathers of modern sociology, alongside celebrated classics such as Auguste Comte, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Moreover, Pareto’s contribution extends to the field of economics as well, which is an accomplishment that none of the other great sociological minds can boast for himself.

scholarly journals Catalogación, Digitalización y Valorización de las fortalezas defensivas de la frontera Galicia - norte de Portugal

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
José L. De Nicolás Sánchez ◽  
Mariana Correia ◽  
Juan A. Villasante
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Military History ◽  
The Other ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
Virtual Paths ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
The One

<p>The project, cofinanced by the line of the UE “INTERREG IIIA”, was focused, on the one hand, in Identification, Study, Cataloguing and Valuation of missing and preserved components of defensive fortifications, located in the geographical area under study. On the other hand were put up in virtual paths different fortifications that made up the defensive system. Besides, the foundations were laid for the development of sustainable Management Plans for the property, with the consequent strengthening of local identities and the improvement of the local tourist promotion. In popularization phase, a Database website was developed and it will be enriched by military history experts, and the results were announced in conferences and exhibitions.</p>

scholarly journals Late Prehistoric Stelae, Persistent Places and Connected Worlds: A Multi-disciplinary Review of the Evidence at Almargen (Lands of Antequera, Spain)

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Díaz-Guardamino ◽  
Leonardo García-Sanjuán ◽  
David Wheatley ◽  
José Antonio Lozano-Rodríguez ◽  
Miguel Ángel Rogerio-Candelera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
The Other ◽  
Global Dynamics ◽  
Late Prehistoric ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
Place Making ◽  
Local Character ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
Unique Site ◽  
The One

This paper examines how monuments with ‘local’ idiosyncrasies are key in processes of place-making and how, through persistence, such places can engage in supra-local and even ‘global’ dynamics. Departing from a detailed revision of its context, materiality and iconography, we show how a remarkable Iberian ‘warrior’ stela brings together the geo-strategic potential of a unique site, located literally between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic worlds, the century-long dialogue between shared and local identities and the power of connectivity of inexorable global processes. Previous approaches to Iberian late prehistoric stelae have had problems in developing bottom-up, theoretically informed and empirically sound approaches to their simultaneously local and supra-local character. The remarkable site of Almargen provides the opportunity to explore this issue. Located in Lands of Antequera (Málaga), a region with a strong tradition of landscape-making through monuments going back to the Late Neolithic, the Almargen ‘warrior’ stela serves us to explore the notion of ‘glocalization’, which embodies persistent local engagements with material culture, sites and landscapes on the one hand, and their connections with wider regional and even ‘global’ worlds on the other.

scholarly journals A relação entre História e Sociologia no horizonte da conceitualização e da explicação dos objetos históricos: reflexões sobre o pensamento de Max Weber * The relationship between History and Sociology over the horizon of conceptualization...

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
ULISSES DO VALLE
Keyword(s):  
Max Weber ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
The Other ◽  
Historical Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Reality ◽  
Ideal Types ◽  
Historical Objects ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

<p class="Default"><strong>Resumo</strong>: Este artigo procura refletir sobre as relações entre a disciplina da história e a sociologia a partir do pensamento de Max Weber. Procuramos mostrar como a sociologia exerce uma participação fundamental na constituição do conhecimento histórico com relação a dois procedimentos específicos: a caracterização adequada das entidades históricas individuais, por um lado, e a lógica explicativa que preside a narrativa histórica, por outro. Veremos como Weber, então, introduz a sociologia como uma forma de resolver o intricado problema da interpenetração entre o geral e o particular na representação e na explicação dos objetos históricos, de modo a esclarecer os vínculos formais e metodológicos entre as duas disciplinas assim entendidas.</p><p class="Default"><strong>Palavras-chave</strong>: História; Sociologia; realidade empírica; tipos ideais.</p><p class="Default"><strong><br /></strong></p><p class="Default"><strong>Abstract</strong>: This paper discuss the relationship between the discipline of history and sociology from the thought of Max Weber. We intend to show how sociology plays a key role in the constitution of historical knowledge regarding two specific procedures: the appropriate characterization of individual historical entities, on the one hand, and the explanatory logic of the historical narrative, on the other. We will see how Weber then introduces sociology as a way to solve the intricate problem of interpenetration between the general and the particular in the representation and explanation of historical objects, in order to clarify the formal and methodological links between the two disciplines well understood.</p><p class="Default"><strong>Keywords</strong>: History; Sociology; empirical reality; ideal types.</p>

scholarly journals The main problems of political science of religion

2002 ◽  
pp. 68-74
Author(s):  
K. Banek
Keyword(s):  
Political Science ◽  
Religion And Politics ◽  
Sociology Of Religion ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Geography Of Religion ◽  
The World ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Science Of Religion ◽  
English Speaking World ◽  
The One

Every year, an increasing number of scholarly and popular works on issues relating to the relationship between the fields of religion and politics appear around the world, especially in the English-speaking world. This shows, on the one hand, the growing importance and relevance of these problems, and on the other, the great interest of researchers in such issues. These works focus primarily on the connections and processes that take place in the world of Islam, in particular at the junction of the Islamic Christianity. Based on this, we can say that in our eyes a new scientific discipline is being created, which, on the model of existing religious disciplines (philosophy of religion, psychology of religion, sociology of religion and geography of religion), can be called the political science of religion.

scholarly journals Sociology of Dakwah: Scientific Alternative Social Conflict Resolution Religious

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurkhalis Nurkhalis
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Sociology Of Religion ◽  
The Other ◽  
Emile Durkheim ◽  
Sociology Of Law ◽  
Critical Phase ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Sociology Of Communication

History records since 1789 which lasted throughout the 19th century - were confronted by an important event full of chaos, the French Revolution - became the forerunner of human social distortions in dunua at that time. One side of the revolution demonstrate positive change and social order on the other side is going through a critical phase to be part concerns some scientists. However, who would have thought excessive attention and seriousness of the leading scientists cultivated by August Comte and Emile Durkheim. Ultimately leading trigger of Sociology and the validity of the methodology laid Sociology as a science. Who would have thought from then until now, to contribute to the presence of study Sociology 'partnership' as; Political Sociology, Economic Sociology, Sociology of Law, Sociology of Religion, Sociology of Communication and so on. Not without reason that 'partnership' Sociology is a solution of the situation and condition of polemics, discrimination, marginalized, alienation had stripped many aspects of life. Even for a man as the main mission of peace and compassion presenters also increasingly disoriented. It would need to design an alternative social science that is Sociology Propagation, scientific consists of scientific foundation; Sociology itself, the science of Communications and Propagation Studies.

The Collective Conscience

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica M. Emerich
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Culture ◽  
Community Building ◽  
The Other ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
The World ◽  
Truth Claims ◽  
The One ◽  
Economic Imperialism ◽  
Global Agenda

This chapter deals with LOHAS in the context of “community-building” and the formation of a collective conscience. LOHAS is ultimately a narrative about how to change the world using consumer culture. The lens of globalization is used to examine how LOHAS attempts, on the one hand, to overcome a legacy of anthropocentrism, Eurocentrism, cultural and economic imperialism, and Westernization in capitalism, while, on the other hand, self-consciously reinforcing the capitalist imperative to sell more and different things to more people. As a market-based movement and as a claim to a reformatory effort, LOHAS is only as successful as the quantity of consumers and producers that support its premises. With its sweeping global agenda, LOHAS texts try to position the concept as a nonpartisan movement, one based on commonalities rather than differences. This chapter is a study of the rise of community and collectivity in LOHAS culture, which is chiefly occurring through mediated means, particularly through social media. It historicizes LOHAS within social movements, examining the importance of media and the central role of communication in democratic efforts. This sets the stage for a closer look at the ways in which media and market enable and disable participation in the communication process. An important part of this is the working of ideology in the construction of truth claims.

Introduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
E. Tory Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Self ◽  
The Other ◽  
Shared Reality ◽  
Human Motivation ◽  
Everyday Lives ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The World ◽  
Common Interests ◽  
The One ◽  
What Matters

What makes us human? Why do humans deal with the world in the ways that we do? The usual answer is that it is our intelligence. When it comes to intelligence, we believe we are special. When it comes to motivation, we believe we are basically the same as other animals. But human motivation is also special. This book describes why human motivation is special and how it makes us who we are. Humans want to experience that their feelings, beliefs, and concerns are shared by others. They want to experience that what matters to them about the world—what objects, events, and issues are worthy of attention—also matters to other people. And what humans share with others is what they experience to be real. It is a shared reality. Our shared reality motivation defines who we are. It is the best of us and the worst of us. On the one hand, our shared realities connect us to close others, create common interests, and make life meaningful. They become the truth about what to feel and what to believe. On the other hand, because of this, we distrust, and even fear, the members of any other group who have different shared realities. For better and worse, our shared realities profoundly affect our everyday lives: how we feel, what we know, our attitudes and opinions, our sense of self, what we strive for and how we strive, and how we get along with others.

Emotions, Embodiment and the Sensation of Society

1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Shilling
Keyword(s):  
Social Conflict ◽  
The Other ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
Emile Durkheim ◽  
Important Resource ◽  
The Core ◽  
Contemporary Work ◽  
Core Questions ◽  
The One ◽  
Ongoing Project

The study of emotions has attracted an increased amount of attention from mainstream sociologists in recent years, both because of its potential to provide an added dimension to the analysis of such subjects as social conflict, gender inequalities and the organisation of the workplace, and as a result of its relevance to theoretical and methodological debates which have long characterised the discipline. This paper suggests that some of the core questions facing this subject can be interrogated productively by engaging critically with the work of one of the most important ‘founding figures’ of the discipline, Emile Durkheim. What Collins (1988) refers to as the ‘underground wing’ of Durkheim's work has yet to be fully utilised or developed by sociologists concerned with emotions, yet it provides us with a suggestive and provocative means of reconceptualising the gulf that often exists within contemporary work on emotions as malleable and controllable, on the one hand, and that concerned with emotions as intransigent ‘somatic states of being’, on the other. As such, Durkheim's writings constitute an important resource for sociologists concerned with the ongoing project of ‘embodying’ the discipline.

scholarly journals In Search of the ‘Spirit of Capitalism’: About Normative Mechanisms Responsible for the Organisation of Social Behaviours

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Kutyło
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Max Weber ◽  
Social Mobilization ◽  
The Other ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Spirit Of Capitalism ◽  
The One ◽  
Social Behaviours

The starting point for my reflections was a thesis presented by Max Weber more than one hundred years ago. According to this thesis, a Protestant ethos was an important factor responsible for the spectacular economic growth of Northern Europe. In his own reflections, the German scholar paid attention mainly to both Protestant asceticism, which concentrated the energy of believers on the work they did, as well as on theology, especially Calvinism, which provided explanations for hard work and the accumulation of capital. It seems, however, that in his reconstruction of the Protestant ethos, Weber described universal mechanisms which are responsible for social mobilization in general. The problem is that instead of trying to analyze them, he ultimately concentrated on their cultural manifestations. The main aim of my paper is an identification of these mechanisms. They discipline individuals, or more correctly, they discipline the patterns of playing these social roles, which are functionally significant for initiating and sustaining the mobilization process. In other words, when there is a need in a society to achieve specific goals, including economic ones, it should develop social norms which will be able to bolster the engagement of its members and focus their energy on specific aspects of their life. Moreover, there is a need to prepare non‑normative mechanisms, which increase the probability that members of the society will adhere to these social norms. The reflections in this regard seem to be important mainly for developing states. On the one hand, they should prepare mechanisms which allow them to develop their economies. On the other hand, the members of these states must face many costs associated with their implementation and this problem should also be a part of the discussion.

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