Misconceptions of the Social Sciences

Abstract. Scholars in religious studies, or “religionists,” often mischaracterize the social-scientific study of religion. They assume that a social-scientific analysis of the origin, function, meaning, or truth of religion either opposes or disregards the believer's analysis, which religionist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zygon
Main Author: Segal, Robert A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell 1990
In: Zygon
Further subjects:B Origin
B social-scientific
B Function
B Eliade
B Berger
B Freud
B irreducibly religious
B believer's point of view
B Meaning
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Summary:Abstract. Scholars in religious studies, or “religionists,” often mischaracterize the social-scientific study of religion. They assume that a social-scientific analysis of the origin, function, meaning, or truth of religion either opposes or disregards the believer's analysis, which religionists profess to present and defend. I do not argue that the social sciences analyze religion from the believer's point of view. I argue instead that a social scientific analysis is more akin and germane to the believer's point of view than religionists assume. I single out seven mischaracterizations of the social sciences typically held by religionists.
ISSN:1467-9744
Contains:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9744.1990.tb00792.x