Cognition, brain, and religious experience: A critical analysis

Abstract

This chapter presents critical perspectives to neurotheology particularly in the light of cognitive science and philosophy. The main arguments revolve around the notion of “religious experience” and its usefulness in explaining religious phenomena. After providing a brief overview of the various forms of neurotheology and cognitive science of religion, it is argued that the study of religious experience might not be the best available starting point for the study of religion in general. This is mainly because the types of strong religious experiences that many neurotheologians study are unlikely to explain the prevalence of religious concepts and practices in general. The chapter also examines some more philosophical worries related to neurotheology. The main problem is the tendency to see the brain as the central explanatory factor of all our experiences and subsequent neglect of other levels of explanation (cognitive, everyday psychology). The final section highlights some of the positive contributions that neurotheology might make to the cognitive science of religion. These include focusing on the role of emotions in religious thinking and possibly challenging the deeply entrenched computational theory of mind in the cognitive science of religion.