Science of Religion I-E2
| Numbering Code | U-LAS00 10015 LE34 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Second semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | Lecture | |
| Target Year | All students | Target Student | For liberal arts students | |
| Language | English | Day/Period | Wed.2 | |
| Instructor name | CATT, Adam Alvah (Graduate School of Letters Associate Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course | This course provides an introduction to methods for understanding and evaluating religious ideas and practices, focusing in particular on modern approaches such as evolutionary biology and cognitive psychology to address the question of where religious beliefs come from and why we find them so compelling. | |||
| Course Goals | By the end of this course, students will have gained a basic understanding of the scientific study of religion. | |||
| Schedule and Contents |
After an introduction to the course, each class (out of a total of 15 classes including classes for feedback) will be based around addressing the following two questions: 1. Why do we have religious beliefs? 2. How can religious beliefs be explained using the tools of anthropology, evolutionary biology, and cognitive psychology? We will read and discuss chapters from the following two books: Boyer, Pascal (2001) Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. Basic Books. Atran, Scott (2002) In Gods We Trust: The Evolutionary Landscape of Religion. Oxford University Press. Class 1: Introduction Class 2: Boyer, pp. 1-25 (up to “Religion and the Social Mind” heading) Class 3: Boyer, pp. 26-50 Class 4: Atran, pp. 51-67 (up to section 3.6.) Class 5: Atran, pp. 67-79 Class 6: Atran, pp. 83-100 (up to section 4.7.) Class 7: Atran, pp. 100-113 Class 8: Atran, pp. 114-130 (up to section 5.6.) Class 9: Atran, pp. 130-146 Class 10: Atran, pp. 174-186 (up to section 7.4.) Class 11: Atran, pp. 186-196 Class 12: Video: Robert Sapolsky “The Biological Underpinnings of Religiosity” (1h22m) Class 13: Atran, pp. 263-271 (up to section 10.8.) Class 14: Atran, pp. 271-280 Class 15: Feedback |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | Grades are based on attendance/class participation (30%), and assignments/exams (70%). Important: If you miss four or more classes, you will not be given credit for the course. | |||
| Course Requirements | None | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Readings will be assigned on a weekly basis, and you will be expected to prepare sufficiently for each class. Each student will be required to give a presentation on the readings. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Relevant materials will be provided in class. | ||
