Results found: 2

Search results

Sort By:

Limit search:

Georg Simmel`s Concept of Religion and Religiosity

100%

Motak D.

Studia Religiologica

2012

vol. 45

issue 2

109–115

Religion was a recurrent theme in Georg Simmel’s thought. Despite this fact, and despite the current rediscovery of Simmel’s ideas, his insights into religion remain relatively neglected. The task of integrating Simmel’s legacy into the current study of religion remains a continuing challenge. This paper, based on an on-going study of Simmel’s work (involving a close reading of his writings in the original version), reflects on his conceptualisation of the relationship between religion understood as an objective, social and historical phenomenon and subjective religiosity. In Simmel’s view, the religious perspective – a “particular spiritual quality” or “attitude of the soul”, a way of looking at the world as a whole – constitutes a kind of pre-stage of religion. This particular perspective of a religion-like (religioid) character makes up an individual foundation for religion, but it can also express itself in other cultural pursuits, like science or art. It only becomes religion after it assumes a specific form in human interaction. Simmel claims that many human relations have a religious character; faith, which is regarded as the substance of religion, is first a relationship between individuals. Out of the subjective faith-process there develops an object for that faith: the idea of God, who is “the absolute object of human faith”. For Simmel, the idea of God (conceived of as the unity of existence, the coincidentia oppositorum) is constitutive for religion.

RELIGIA A PRZEMOC W PERSPEKTYWIE ANTROPOLOGII KOGNITYWNEJ. UWAGI POLEMICZNE NA KANWIE PUBLIKACJI PASCALA BOYERA

100%

Motak D.

Studia Religiologica

2003

vol. 36

RELIGIONS AND VIOLENCE THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF COGNITIVE ANTHROPOLOGY. SOME CRITICAL REMARKS IN CONNECTION WITH PASCAL BOYER’S PUBLICATIONThe question regarding the religiously motivated xenophobia, aggression and violence seems to constantly return as an area of special interest of social sciences. At the basis of all explanations of the above problems, one finds the assumption that the commonly shared religious beliefs generate a sense of belonging and group identity and consequently lead to a generalized distrust and sometimes, aggression towards others. The article shows the above problems from a different perspective which is provided by cognitive anthropology. The analysis of the above phenomenon on the basis of Pascal Boyer’s conception leads to a presentation of religion as a signal of group identity which sets in motion the so called coalitional intuitions; the latter refer to an implicit image of a group as a coalitional institution. A good example of the above phenomenon are the contemporary fundamentalist movements which are characterized by a legitimization of aggression for the purpose of religious renewal. The acceptance of the religiously motivated aggression is recognized by Boyer as a consequence of the increased likelihood of apostasy in the modern, pluralist society. Spectacular acts of aggression are a message which is sent to other members of the group. They signalize that apostasy is very costly and thus by raising the stake, they constitute a method of reducing the likelihood of its occurrence among the other group members. A critical evaluation of the conception narrows down the scope of its relevance, yet it recognizes it as a valuable theoretical contribution to the research on the mechanisms of religiously motivated aggression in the modern world.

Refine search results

2 Studia Religiologica

2 Motak D.

1 2012

1 2003

Search results

Georg Simmel`s Concept of Religion and Religiosity

RELIGIA A PRZEMOC W PERSPEKTYWIE ANTROPOLOGII KOGNITYWNEJ. UWAGI POLEMICZNE NA KANWIE PUBLIKACJI PASCALA BOYERA