Book ID: CBB840908594

An Unnatural History of Religions: Academia, Post-truth and the Quest for Scientific Knowledge (2018)

unapi

Ambasciano, Leonardo (Author)
D. Jason Slone (Author)
Wiebe, Donald (Author)
Luther, Martin (Author)
Radek Kundt (Author)
McCorkle, William W., Jr. (Author)


Bloomsbury Academic


Publication Date: 2018
Physical Details: 280
Language: English

An Unnatural History of Religions examines the origins, development, and critical issues concerning the history of religion and its relationship with science. The book explores the ideological biases, logical fallacies, and unwarranted beliefs that surround the scientific foundations (or lack thereof) in the academic discipline of the history of religions, positioning them in today's 'post-truth' culture. Leonardo Ambasciano provides the necessary critical background to evaluate the most important theories and working concepts dedicated to the explanation of the historical developments of religion. He covers the most important topics and paradigm shifts in the field, such as phenomenology, postmodernism, and cognitive science. These are taken into consideration chronologically, each time with case studies on topics such as shamanism, gender biases, ethnocentrism, and biological evolution. Ambasciano argues that the roots of post-truth may be deep in human biases, but that historical justifications change each time, resulting in different combinations. The surprising rise of once-fringe beliefs, such as conspiracy theories, pseudoscientific claims, and so-called scientific creationism, demonstrates the alarming influence that post-truth ideas may exert on both politics and society. Recognising them before they spread anew may be the first step towards a scientifically renewed study of religion.

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Reviewed By

Review James C. Ungureanu (2022) Review of "An Unnatural History of Religions: Academia, Post-truth and the Quest for Scientific Knowledge". Isis: International Review Devoted to the History of Science and Its Cultural Influences (pp. 219-220). unapi

Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB840908594/

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Authors & Contributors
Zellini, Paolo
Sarah Ehlers
David Bentley Hart
Liz Sevcenko
Esselborn, Stefan
Sova, Henrik
Concepts
Philosophy
Science and religion
Truth
Theology
Logic
Controversies and disputes
Time Periods
20th century
18th century
17th century
21st century
Modern
Medieval
Places
Europe
France
Mesopotamia
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