The Fracture of an Illusion: Science and the Dissolution of Religion. Frankfurt Templeton Lectures 2008 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9783525569405)

Pascal Boyer argues that religion is largely an illusion. The anthropologist traces religion's cognitive and evolutionary aspects. By religion he means a kind of existential and cognitive package that includes views about supernatural agency (gods), notions of morality, particular rituals and sometimes particular experiences, as well as membership in a particular community of believers. The package, however, does not really exist as such. Notions of supernatural agents, of morality, of ethnic identity, or ritual requirements and other experience, all appear in human minds independently. This implies that there is no such thing as a conflict between science and religion. Boyer takes the reader onto a journey through science and the dissolution of religion.

Author: Pascal Boyer
ISBN-10: 3525569408
ISBN-13: 9783525569405
Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
Language: English
Published: 08/23/2010
Pages: 112
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.44lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.30d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 11/01/2010 pg. 15