Tracked shipping to South Africa with premium packaging for just R199 

Ship to
South Africa
0

My Account

  • argentina
  • chile
  • colombia
  • españa
  • méxico
  • perú
  • estados unidos
  • internacional

menu

Select your country

Americas

Europe

Rest of the world

Take advantage of this pre-sale
portada Religion as Make-Believe. A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity
Type
Physical Book
Publisher
Author
Year
2026
Language
English
Pages
312
Format
Paperback
ISBN13
9780674305021

Religion as Make-Believe. A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity

Neil Van Leeuwen (Author) · Harvard University Press · Paperback

Religion as Make-Believe. A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity - Neil Van Leeuwen

New Book Imported to South Africa
Delivery: 09 Sep - 24 Sep Shipping: 14 to 20 business days.
R 702
R 702

Choose the list to add your product or create one New List

Go to My Wishlists
Calculate shipping cost

Synopsis "Religion as Make-Believe. A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity"

"A masterly new book." --New Yorker "A major achievement in the study of religious attitudes." --Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews To understand the nature of religious belief, we must look at how our minds process the world of imagination and make-believe. We often assume that religious beliefs are similar in kind to ordinary factual beliefs--that believing in the existence of supernatural entities that hear our prayers is akin to believing that May comes before June. Neil Van Leeuwen reveals that, in fact, these two forms of belief are strikingly different. Empirical findings show that religious beliefs function not like beliefs concerning mundane reality but like the imaginings that guide make-believe play. When a person pretends, they navigate the world by consulting two maps: the first represents mundane reality, and the second superimposes features of the imagined world atop the first. Drawing on psychological, linguistic, and anthropological evidence, Van Leeuwen posits that religious communities operate in just this way, consulting a factual belief map that represents ordinary objects and events, as well as a religious credence map. The latter accords everyday objects and events an imagined supernatural significance that defines a community's identity and expresses its sacred values. It is hardly controversial to suggest that religion has a social function, but Religion as Make-Believe breaks new ground by theorizing the underlying cognitive mechanisms and deepening our understanding of the individual and group psychology of faith.

Customers reviews

More customer reviews
  • 0% (0)
  • 0% (0)
  • 0% (0)
  • 0% (0)
  • 0% (0)

Frequently Asked Questions about the Book

Is the book original?

All books in our catalog are Original.

In what language is the book written?

The book is written in English.

What is the format of this book?

The binding of this edition is Paperback.

Questions and Answers about the Book

Do you have a question about the book? Login to be able to add your own question.

Opinions about Bookdelivery

More customer reviews