| Title: | Religion and Cognitive Science |
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| Course Section Number: | REL-275-01 |
| Department: | Religion |
| Description: | Do our brains make us religious? Does evolution? Yes, says cognitive science. But if so, how? And if so, then how can our religious beliefs be "personal"? How can God be real? These are our questions. The relatively new field of cognitive science is the scientific study of the human mind, drawing on fields like psychology, anthropology, archeology, linguistics, and neuroscience. The course has 3 parts. First, we'll read what some cognitive scientists have to say about religion, e.g. Pascal Boyer, Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. Second, we'll read some critiques of these ideas. Third, in light of these critiques, we'll return to our initial questions, and see what answers we get. This is a first-half semester course. |
| Credits: | 0.50 |
| Start Date: | August 19, 2026 |
| End Date: | October 14, 2026 |
| Meeting Information: |
08/20/2026-10/13/2026 Lecture Tuesday, Thursday 09:45AM - 11:00AM, Room to be Announced
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| Faculty: | Blix, David |
Course Status
| Section Name/Title | Status | Dept. | Capacity |
Enrolled/ Available/ Waitlist |
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