Explaining Religion: Criticism and Theory from Bodin to FreudJ. Samuel Preus traces the development and articulation of a modern "naturalistic" approach to the study of religion by examining ideas about the origin of religion in the works of nine western thinkers: Jean Bodin, Herbert of Cherbury, Bernard Fontenelle, Giambattista Vico, David Hume, Auguste Comte, Edward Brunett Tylor, Emile Durkheim, and Sigmund Freud. He argues that beginning in the sixteenth century increasing critical detachment from theological presuppositions and commitments made it possible for the question of origins to be posed from an altogether non-religious point of view. This new modernist paradigm was characterized by the conviction that religion could be explained in scientific terms, like any other object of critical investigation. |
Contents
Jean Bodin | 3 |
Herbert of Cherbury | 23 |
Bernard Fontenelle | 40 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
already analysis ancient animism approach argument authors basis beginning belief Bodin called causes century Christian civilization claim common Comte Comte's Concerning contemporary continuity course critical culture definition discussion divine doctrine Durkheim entire especially essential established evidence evolution evolutionary example existence experience explain fact finally follows Fontenelle forces Freud functions further give given gods ground Herbert human Hume Hume's ideas imagination important individual institutions intellectual interest interpretation knowledge laws matter means mind moral myths naturalistic nature necessary noted notion observation origin paradigm philosophy positive possible present primitive principle problem produced progress providence question rational reality reason reference regard religious revelation says scientific seems sense social society sociological study of religion theology theory things thought totem tradition true truth Tylor understanding universal Vico Vico's whole