Language and Religion: A Journey Into the Human Mind

ISBN-13: 9780521792233 / Angielski / Twarda / 2010 / 280 str.

William Downes

Opis

Language and Religion offers an innovative theory of religion as a class of cultural representations, dependent on language to unify diverse capacities of the human mind. It argues that religion is widespread because it is implicit in the way the mind processes the world, as it determines what we ought to do, practically and morally, to achieve our goals. Focusing on the world religions, the book relates modern cognitive theories of language and communication to culture and its dissemination. It explains basic features of religion such as the supernatural, the normative, abstract and ideal theological concepts such as God', and religious feeling. It develops a linguistic theory, based on how utterances are understood, of metaphysical and moral mysteries' and their key role in thought and action. It shows how such concepts gain strength in the light of their successful use, and when tempered by criticism, can also have genuine authority."

Recenzje

'… of interest to scholars of the philosophy of language or religion, cognitive psychologists, and linguists specializing in religion.' Abby Forster, eLanguage

Spis treści

Introduction; 1. A cognitive theory of religion; 2. The supernatural and the uses of the intentional; 3. Dissemination and the comprehension of mysteries; 4. Pragmatics and pragmatism; 5. Authority; 6. Conceptual innovation and revelatory language.