Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Why give money to beggars? Why make sacrifices to help others? The current volume targets such questions with the tools of neoclassical and behavioural economics, philosophy, and sociology of religion. Both religion and economics are analyzed as social institutions that support human intra-group cooperation. Even if individuals are rational maximizers of personal utility, they yet must take into account the reciprocal nature of human relationships. It is better to be part of a cooperative group and make some personal sacrifices because, in the end, everybody benefits from this. Sometimes the metaphor of an invisible hand is used to describe the fact that economic exchange seems to follow some rules that guarantee the best possible result for everyone. In religion, it is of course the hand of God that guides the world. In both cases, individuals are in a way playing against a superior being that always seems to win. In this volume, some of the cognitive mechanisms and cultural selective forces behind this are examined by specialists in different fields of science. The first contributions analyze theoretical and methodological issues; in later chapters, developments in the European history are explored from the perspectives of sociology and economic theory.

Economics --- Cooperation --- Religious aspects. --- Moral and ethical aspects. --- Economics. --- Evolution of Cooperation. --- Rational Choice Theory. --- Religion. --- Theology.

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Cognitive science of religion is a radically new paradigm in the study of religion. Apart from psychology and anthropology of religion, also historians of religion have shown increasing interest in this approach. This volume is groundbreaking in combining cognitive analysis with historical and social-scientific approaches to biblical materials, Christian origins, and early Judaism. The book is in four parts: an introduction to cognitive and social-scientific approaches, applications of cognitive science, applications of conceptual blending theory, and applications of socio-cognitive analyses. The book will be of interest for historians of religion, biblical scholars, and those working in the cognitive science of religion.

Christianity --- -Church history --- -Judaism --- -Psychology, Religious. --- -281.2 --- Jews --- Religions --- Semites --- Church history --- Psychology of religion --- Religion --- Religious psychology --- Psychology and religion --- Ecclesiastical history --- History, Church --- History, Ecclesiastical --- History --- Origin --- -History --- -Psychology. --- Psychology. --- Apostolische Kerk. Judeo-christianisme:--tot einde 1ste eeuw --- Psychological aspects --- Psychology --- Conferences - Meetings --- Christianity -- Origin -- Congresses. --- Judaism -- History -- Congresses. --- Psychology, Religious. --- Judaism --- Psychology, Religious --- Philosophy & Religion --- 281.2 Apostolische Kerk. Judeo-christianisme:--tot einde 1ste eeuw --- 281.2 --- Jewish psychology --- Cognitiewetenschap. --- Jodendom. --- Sociologische aspecten. --- Vroege christendom.