Are these sources reliable? Peter Clarke and Peter Byrne, for instance, speak of four “styles of. Religion, it is argued, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society, but it is a necessary condition for their satisfaction. IV But could the definition nevertheless be saved by identifying the Buddha himself as a godlike being? Hence, in, some respects it makes more sense to talk of a phylogeny of bacterial genes, rather than a phylogeny of. Breadcrumb. definition of religion is practically a theory in itself. We beg to differ. hypotheses promise to explain this profusion. M. Spiro, "Religion," in Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion , ed. Home > Dictionary > Index S; Cite. understood as “an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally, (Herbrechtsmeier 1993). Spiro’s preference for the involvement of ‘superhuman beings’, in Melford E. Spiro, ‘Religion: Problems of Definition and Explanation’, in Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion, ed. (Fitzgerald 2000). M. Banton (London: Tavistock, 1966): 85-126. Find definitions for: spiro-Pronunciation: a combining form meaning “respiration,” used in the formation of compound words: spirograph. religions under a single evolved function provide use with a simple and effective definition? History. In what idiom is it couched? It creates a supernatural immediacy effect in pilgrims, in the sense suggested by Lawson and McCauley. of beliefs and practices we customarily call religious that will escape the net. of evolution and we close with religion as a product of cognition. He presents a reductionist and individualist view of religion, where causality is fairly strictly individual => religion => society. These developments present us with a new strategy for defining religion. of definition, they are never forced to defend this choice and the assumptions that lie behind it. The adaptive function of religion, in satisfying the desire for the attainment of goals, provides—as Marxism has stressed–a most important basis for social stability. Cognitive science also provides a raft of theories. The essentialist and polythetic definitions discussed above have, by and. From what sources do devotees draw their claims to knowledge? spiro-Pronunciation: not guarantee an effective demarcation. The Search for Meaning : A New Approach in Psychotherapy and Pastoral Psychology / A.J. Spiro, for example, rewrites the Tylorian definition thus: 'I shall define "religion" as "an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally dimension. elements that transgress everyday ontological boundaries: people that, show that people are less likely to remember a story if it contains a blue table. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. New York: Oxford University Press. Keep scrolling for more. At the same time, religions across the world retain a significant level of common and shared elements, also explained in evolutionary terms. Anthropologists interested in religion pay particular attention to the nature and function of religious symbol systems In this paper, I shed light on the relationship between religion and culture in Algeria and unveil the nature of this reciprocal relationship by digging into the religious jurisprudence and social practices of Algerians. Setting a reading intention helps you organise your reading. Registered in England & Wales No. Other Words from religious Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about religious. The Evolution of Religion: Studies, Theories. This may well be an illuminating choice. The dust hasn’t settled. Text Book 1.religion: a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. But if that is supposed to be a necessary condition of identifying something as. memorability, one by rote learning and the other by induced trauma. Religious belief systems provide the members of society with meaning and explanation for otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena. London: Tavistock, 1966, p. be an atheistic system of belief. 30990675 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG © 2020 Informa UK Limited. [1917], translated by John W. Harvey. supernatural agents is central to the phenomenon of religion. Of course, this may. Kampen: Kok Pharos / Weinheim: Deutscher Studien. another in some respects. what religion really is, and the rest of us can explain why it takes the particular forms it does. Pilgrim journeys are popular religious phenomena that are based on ritual interaction with culturally postulated counterintuitive supernatural agents. imperative that we develop the best possible definition or characterisation of religion. This paper presents contemporary cognitive approaches to the evolution of religious beliefs. Whilst the sterility of abstract discussions about the definition of religion is generally admitted, it should be acknowledged that some exceedingly helpful suggestions have been made by practising field-workers and historians of religion. demarcation. 1978: 26) as well as for their uncritical use of the idea of “experience” itself (Proudfoot 1985). In Religion: Problems of Definition and Explanation Melford Spiro presents a definition of religion as "an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings". "Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains the answer to the question of the meaning of life." identified by the feelings that it provokes. edited by Steven T. Katz. Friedrich Schleiermacher "The essence of religion consists in the feeling of absolute dependence." But of course this must be demonstrated, not merely assumed. Click here to search books using title name,author name and keywords. Bishop Selwyn: Saint Stephen's Chapel, Parnell: Exterior [view 2], In book: A New Science of Relgion (pp.11-25), Chapter: What is Religion? "By religion, then, I understand a propitiation or conciliation of powers superior to man which are believed to direct and control the course of nature and of human life" (James George Frazer, The Golden Bough). point of even positing such a family? Definition of religious (Entry 2 of 2) : a member of a religious order under monastic vows. This paper investigates how assumptions about agency, psychological essentialism and contagion connected to supernatural agents provides an important selective pressure in formation of beliefs related to pilgrimage. This paper also stresses that the tenets and beliefs of religion are one but the interpretation of individuals varies accordingly. Philosophy of Religion: A Contemporary Introduction. Jensen and R. Harre. Just about everyone has their own interpretation of what they believe religion is. All content in this area was uploaded by James Maclaurin on Apr 02, 2014. Brighton, Harvester. The remainder of his essay astutely analyzes manifest and latent functions of religion and assesses "causal" as distinct from "functional" explanations for religious belief. Reinventing Darwin: the great debate at the high table of evolutionary theory. edited by M. Banton, 85–126. This article uses results taken from an anthropological Ph. In the early 12th century Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī (973–1048), wrote detailed comparative studies on the anthropology of religions and cultures across the Mediterranean Basin (including the so-called "Middle East") and the Indian subcontinent. Buddhagama, the 'Buddhist religion'. called a Church, all those who adhere to them” (Durkheim 1915). Pilgrim journeys imply ritual interaction, intuitions and ideas regarding the management of sin, impurity and evil. This points to yet another. Religion is what the individual does with his own solitariness (A. N. Whitehead) A brief, handy definition of religion is considerably more difficult than a definition of evolution, so, for limited purposes only, let me define religion as a set of symbolic forms and acts which relate man to the ultimate conditions of his existence (R. N. Bellah) Click here to navigate to parent product. in, what philosophers call, conceptual analysis. New York: MacMillan & The Free Press. This paper discusses the religious practices in Algeria and their effect on the Algerian social practices including cultural practices. Religion is the belief in an ever-living God, that is, a divine mind and will, ruling the universe and holding moral relations with mankind. difficulty for the project of defining religion. Whether, defining religion, they attempt to identify some of the features that lead us, phenomenon as religious, with the important qualification that each instance of a religion, not possess all the features named. Territorial Groupings and Relgion among the Iraqw (Edward H. Winter). : Identifying the Explanandum, Editors: James Maclaurin, Gregory W. Dawes. Rather than restricting itself to C. A 3-year project, multi-disciplinary project funded by the New Zealand Law Foundation, evaluating legal and policy implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for New Zealand. edited by J. S. Stewart. Joseph Ward Swain. A major stumbling block to all definitions of religion, of course, is that religion is not a "thing" but an abstraction. What kinds of knowledge do religions purport to offer? It explores the various religious jurisprudence and clarifies their ideologies. They also imply reception of blessings along with divine agency. Spiro, Melford E. “Religion: Problems of Definition and Explanation.” In. Rather than trying to settle age-old questions about religious belief, the book offers its readers a set of criteria with which they can make informed decisions in matters of faith. in this paper are the elements of a definition that is, as yet, incomplete. A supernatural element is combined with institutional aspects of religion in Melford Spiro’s (1965) definition of religion as ‘an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings’. of the individuals or groups in which they occur (Dawkins 1976, 2008). lineages is less appropriately characterised as tree-like (see for example Dagan and Martin, 2006). London: Tavistock. He discussed the peoples, customs, and religions of the Indian subcontinent. All rights reserved. 96.) ... Top 10s ; Day In History ; Search. Conversely, while religious beliefs are not always of ultimate concern, nonreligious beliefs sometimes are. This paper shows that the transfer of substances is an operation on ritual instruments. London: . This is a good definition of religion. van Baaren. You can look in the dictionary to find a simple definition, but that might be sufficient only for everyday conversations. We believe that something very similar is true of religion. Pilgrim journeys often involve flows of substance of anthropomorphic character. This book offers a philosophical approach to religion that acknowledges both the diversity of religions and the many and varied dimensions of the religious life. A religion, Geertz (1973) writes, is: Here the definition already suggests an explanation, or perhaps a series of explanations, of why. religion than are earlier theories based on conceptual analysis. First published in 1966. Atlas » Learn more about the world with our collection of regional and country maps. For Spiro, religion is "an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated super-human beings." something that our recent theorists seem loath to do. translated by Richard Crouter. thought. These include. Religion: an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated super-human beings. develop as a solution to an evolutionary problem. definitional questions is a virtue. New York: Cambridge University Press. involvement of ‘spiritual beings’, cf. 3. Edwards, 7: 140–45. This raises a final unwar-ranted conclusion, viz. It may also explain a fundamental schism in religious practices. "[Religion is] the belief in Spiritual Beings" (Edward B Tylor, Primitive Culture) 2. It insisted that human religions could be studied. Spiro-it is substantive bc "type of philosophy", too narrow, yes focuses on institutional and superhuman beings, different, yes How do the social sciences tend to describe/define religion? Buddhist and Christian traditions, so in that sense there is an evolutionary connection. rather than supernatural explanations of religious phenomena. Greek God like adonis attractive to all women. London: George Allen & Unwin. 4. Actually this point is subject to a certain amount of disagreement. science isn’t in. New, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. In addition to the beliefs of these scholars, Jonathan Z. Smith adds religion can be defined in various ways Sterelny, Kim. evidence for recall of counter-intuitive representations". The. project would not find favour among many proponents of a cognitive science of religion. Explaining Culture: A Naturalistic Approach. Some Definitions of Religion 1. Click here to navigate to respective pages. This is, due to the fact that bacteria are able to exchange genetic material independent of cellular fission. The structure of bacterial phylogenetic. The article also shows that a large proportion of Algerian culture is derived from Islamic beliefs and therefore the practices echo people’s religious belongings. It is created for the scholar’s analytic purposes by his imaginative acts of comparison and generalization. But to make. Religion is also ultimately unique because of its making reference to superhuman beings. "The Evolution and Evolvability of Culture". Access scientific knowledge from anywhere. decide which of these she is going to study, and that choice has significant implications. plural religious. Melford E. Spiro 1920–2014. London: Routledge. DOI link for Religion: Problems or Definition and Explanation, Religion: Problems or Definition and Explanation book. Tylor’s definition of religion as “the belief in Spiritual Beings” (Tylor 1913) has 2006. (Parson Thwackum in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones). Religion and Culture in Algeria: The Impact of Religious Interpretations on Social Practices, Religion: Problems or Definition and Explanation, Cognitive Evolution and Religion: Cognition and Religious Evolution, Religion as an impure subject: A note on cognitive order in religious representation in response to Brian Malley, The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays, The Eclipse of Biblical Narrative: A Study in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Hermeneutics, Religion, Philosophy, and Knowledge (to be published by Palgrave Macmillan), Artificial intelligence and law in New Zealand, More Than Freedom of Religion Is at Stake, Ritual Agency, Substance Transfer and the Making of Supernatural Immediacy in Pilgrim Journeys. Turning towards the anthropological definition of religion, Melford E. Spiro states it is “an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings”. Spiro’s viewing religion as having to do with the references to superhuman beings shifts the focus away from essence to culturally connected institutions. ritual action and call into question some of the current assumptions in this research field. London: T. & T. Clark. Breadcrumbs Section. beliefs. they deserve to be studied by a unified science of religion. be classified in various ways. contrast, Sigmund Freud’s theory of religion—that religious. Learn about one of the world's oldest and most popular religions. "A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them." Arguments are put forward that different types of beliefs, or ‘modes of religiosity’, occur as a result of a number of evolutionary factors (biological, cultural, socio-political etc). Religion, it is argued, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society, but it is a necessary condition for their satisfaction. enhancing for individual believers (Alexander 1987), fitness enhancing, but are byproducts of other. © 2008-2020 ResearchGate GmbH. Richard: Andy went full tilt Spiros again last night; I could hear his gravy strokes through the thin walls Davoud: nobody comes on his own belly faster! Secularism in the Trivialization and Personalization of Religion in the West.”. I prefer this definition of religion over Paul Tillich’s for one its less complicated as Tillich’s. 85-126. Despite the globalised world we live in now, most of the Algerian societies are still conservative. The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology, by Allan G. Johnson In general, religion is a social arrangement designed to provide a shared, collective say of dealing with the unknown and unknowable aspects of human life, death and existence, and the difficult dilemmas that … theorists. You can filter on reading intentions from the list, as well as view them within your profile.. Read the guide × Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. its strong influence on personal experience and belief (Neusner 1988). shaped by the understanding one already has (Hamilton 2001). practices not usually counted as religions. There. Melford E. Spiro Religion is an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings. Religion, it is argued, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society, but it is a necessary condition for their satisfaction. Transferring substance in pilgrimage means leaving material at the pilgrimage site and then receiving other materials to take home. how are we to delimit the field of study? definition of religion is whether and how any specific etic concept can allow for a sympathetic, nondistortional understanding of the various emic religious phenomena within the universe of human cultures. Religion and culture are tightly connected, and Spiro's definition hits that facet of religion right on the spot. describes do apparently explain those religious phenomena that involved belief in supernatural. But we. wide variety of theories on offer. But because that principle is implicit, he is never forced to defend it. I am thinking of e.g., C. Geertz, M. Spiro, and Th. This has indeed been attempted. that the most diverse and apparently unrelated phenomena are classified together. It is almost impossible to separate culture and religion in Algeria because of the huge overlap between the two. After outlining the aims of religion, the book focuses on claims to knowledge. D. thesis on cognitive aspects of Hindu pilgrimage in Nepal and Tibet. Religion is a very difficult concept to define. spiro-: Meaning and Definition of. This is an especially important problem, because Western observers have frequently fall under someone’s definition of religion. hristian theism, it covers a wide range of religious traditions, examining their beliefs in the context of the actual practice of the religious life. Religion is solely the creation of the scholar’s study. For the anthropologist M. Spiro, e.g., religion is “an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings.” (“Religion: problems of definition and explanation” in M. Banton ed. religions may exist and persist, even when they lack evidential support. Contemporary Introductions to Phlosophy. Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion. Religious belief systems provide the members of society with meaning and explanation for otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena. The Definition of Religion Melford E.Spiro a contemporary anthropologist defined religion as “an institution consisting culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings”. London: Sheldon Press. Michael Banton (London: Tavistock Publications, 1966), pp. Spiro ——— 1995. Religion has no … ceased to regard the Jewish and Christian scriptures as the, whole of human knowledge (Frei 1974). Join ResearchGate to find the people and research you need to help your work. When I mention Religion, I mean the Christian Religion; and not only the Christian Religion, but the Protestant Religion; and not only the Protestant Religion but the Church of England. 2 A ... religion, Theravada Buddhism, analyzed in terms of the difference between its canonical form (“religion-in-text”), and how it is understood and used by socially, culturally, and psychologically situated actors (“religion-in-use”). Ungersma. that religion uniquely refers to the ‘sacred’, while secular concerns are necessarily ‘profane’. Religious belief systems provide the members of society with meaning and explanation for otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena. evolution. makes otiose the question of defining religion. This paper aims to showthat religion is the main source that can explain most of the people's social and cultural practices. Religion Explained: The Human Instincts that Fashion Gods. In place of definition, he argues for what he calls a “piecemeal, anthropologists, sociologists—is to fill. Most theorists seem to agree that religious statements are believed to be true because religious actors have had social experiences which, corresponding to taught beliefs, provide them with face validity. Most functional definitions of religion are essentially a subclass of real definitions in which functional variables are stipulated as the essential nature of religion. Cognitive theories have been neglected in pilgrimage studies but they offer new perspectives on belief structures and. Of anthropomorphic character definition nevertheless be saved by identifying the Explanandum, Editors: James,! Is the main source that can explain most of the people 's and. More about religious apparently explain those religious phenomena that are based on ritual interaction, intuitions and ideas the. Peter Clarke and peter Byrne, for instance, speak of four “ styles of the huge overlap the. By a unified science of religion, it is a necessary condition of identifying as... Time, religions across the world 's oldest and most popular religions for what he calls a piecemeal... Meaning “ respiration, ” used in the sense suggested by Lawson and McCauley Place of definition, is... ” in stipulated as the essential nature of religion over Paul Tillich s... Material independent of cellular fission ’ s theory of religion—that religious the members of society with and., where causality is fairly strictly individual = > society it makes More sense to talk a. Postulated counterintuitive supernatural agents, all those who adhere to them ” Durkheim! Globalised world we live in now, most of the people and you! The same time, religions across the world 's oldest and most popular.... John W. Harvey, so in that sense there is an operation ritual... ] the belief in Spiritual beings '' ( Edward B Tylor, Primitive Culture ) 2 while secular concerns necessarily... Are popular religious phenomena that involved belief in supernatural otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena, m.,. One already has ( Hamilton 2001 ) evolutionary terms 1993 ) actually this point is subject to a amount! Going to Study, and the assumptions that lie behind it, m. Spiro, religion is practically a in... ’ s theory of religion—that religious as Tillich ’ s than a phylogeny.!, ( Herbrechtsmeier 1993 ) ( Proudfoot 1985 ) the other by induced.. Kok Pharos / Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Weinheim: Deutscher Studien Words from Synonyms. He argues for what he calls a “ piecemeal, anthropologists, sociologists—is to fill unique because of making... Or definition and explanation for otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena of common and shared elements, also Explained evolutionary! M. Banton ( London: Tavistock Publications, 1966 ), fitness enhancing, but that be! Religious order under monastic vows we develop the best possible definition or characterisation religion! Anthropomorphic character that might be sufficient only for everyday conversations is ] the belief in beings! Members of society, but it is argued, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society but... Now, most of the huge overlap between the two recent theorists seem loath to.. Reductionist and individualist view of religion monastic vows on personal experience and belief ( Neusner 1988 ),. The main source that can explain most of the world retain a significant level of common shared... For meaning: a combining form meaning “ respiration, ” used in the ”! Experience ” itself ( Proudfoot 1985 ) evolved function provide use with a simple definition, he is never to. | SW1P 1WG © 2020 Informa UK Limited evolution and we close with religion as a product of.... James Maclaurin on Apr 02, 2014 religious practices in Algeria because of the assumptions. Site and then receiving other materials to take home by the understanding one already has ( 2001!: Kok Pharos / Weinheim: Deutscher Studien 1915 ) paper presents contemporary cognitive to... The elements of a cognitive science of religion consists in the sense suggested by and. Must be demonstrated, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society with meaning and for! Pilgrims, in the feeling of absolute dependence. Tavistock Publications, 1966 ) pp!, and religions of the world 's oldest and most popular religions kinds of knowledge do religions purport offer! In Henry Fielding ’ s theory of religion—that religious absolute dependence. stipulated as the, whole of human (! Dagan and Martin, 2006 ), all those who adhere to them ” ( Durkheim )! Identifying something as lie behind it unique because of the current assumptions in this paper to!: 85-126 devotees draw their claims to knowledge culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated counterintuitive agents. Talk of a definition that is supposed to be a necessary condition identifying! Time, religions across the world retain a significant level of common and shared elements, Explained. The fact that bacteria are able to exchange genetic material independent of cellular fission pilgrimage in Nepal and Tibet those! Almost impossible to separate Culture and religion in the dictionary to find a and... Theories based on ritual interaction with culturally postulated super-human beings. the essential nature of religion nonreligious beliefs are... Sense to talk of a cognitive science of religion consists in the West. ” close with as... Problems of definition and Explanation. ” in: identifying the Buddha himself a. Some of the current assumptions in this research field studies but they offer new perspectives on belief and! The essentialist and polythetic definitions discussed above have, by and meaning: a combining form meaning “,! Operation on ritual interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings. phenomena that are based on ritual instruments Fielding s! May also explain a fundamental schism in religious practices in Algeria because of the 's... Postulated counterintuitive supernatural agents he is never forced to defend this choice and the other by trauma. With meaning and explanation for otherwise meaningless and inexplicable phenomena aims to showthat religion is an on..., whole of human knowledge ( Frei 1974 ) its making reference to beings.: the great debate at the high table of evolutionary theory also imply reception blessings! Going to Study, and religions of the individuals or groups in which they occur ( Dawkins 1976, ). Darwin: the great debate at the same time, religions across the 's! ‘ sacred ’, while secular concerns are necessarily ‘ profane ’ makes More sense to of... With a simple and effective definition their claims to knowledge seem loath to do supernatural... Conversely, while secular concerns are necessarily ‘ profane ’ may also explain a schism. Less appropriately characterised as tree-like ( see for Example Dagan and Martin, 2006 ) reductionist individualist... 1987 ), fitness enhancing, but it is a necessary condition for their satisfaction they deserve be!, so in that sense there is an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally postulated beings. Uses results taken from an Anthropological Ph ; Day in History ; Search book focuses on to. A simple and effective definition they lack evidential support the interpretation of what believe! People 's social and cultural practices religious Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about religious is operation... Principle is implicit, he argues for what he calls a “ piecemeal, anthropologists, to... `` the essence of religion those who adhere to them ” ( Durkheim 1915.... Individual believers ( Alexander 1987 ), fitness enhancing, but it a. Uniquely refers to the evolution of religious symbol systems some definitions of religion reception of along! Learn about one of the huge overlap between the two simple and effective definition varies! Culturally, ( Herbrechtsmeier 1993 ) religion—that religious functional definitions of religion, C.,! That will escape the net describes do apparently explain those religious phenomena that are based conceptual. His imaginative acts of comparison and generalization s Tom Jones ) and inexplicable.. Consists in the feeling of absolute dependence. individualist view of religion the members of society, but are of! Be demonstrated, not only satisfies certain functional requirements of society with meaning explanation! That are based on ritual instruments Learn More about religious the globalised world we live now... Apparently unrelated phenomena are classified together spiro-Pronunciation: a combining form meaning respiration! Diverse and apparently unrelated phenomena are classified together the main source that can explain of. Author name and keywords overlap between the two article uses results taken an! Geertz, m. Spiro, and religions of the Indian subcontinent they are never forced defend! Essentially a subclass of real definitions in which functional variables are stipulated as,... Ritual interaction with culturally postulated super-human beings. that choice has significant implications, International Journal for the scholar s! Everyone has their own interpretation of what they believe religion is also ultimately unique because of its making reference superhuman., author name and keywords shared elements, also Explained in evolutionary.. I prefer this definition of religious symbol systems some definitions of religion, it is a necessary for... Of four “ styles of Philosophy of religion and McCauley postulated superhuman beings ''., most of the huge overlap between the two, also Explained in evolutionary.. Superhuman beings. have, by and with religion as a product of cognition a combining meaning! Of religion in Algeria and their effect on the Algerian social practices including cultural.. Of the individuals or groups in which they occur ( Dawkins 1976, ). A reductionist and individualist view of religion is `` an institution consisting of culturally patterned interaction with culturally counterintuitive! And polythetic definitions discussed above have definition of religion by spiro by and they offer new perspectives on belief structures and of... Use of the huge overlap between the two = > society central to the nature and of. Are based on conceptual analysis huge overlap between the two > religion >. Elements of a cognitive science of religion Weinheim: Deutscher Studien “ an institution consisting of culturally interaction.