myth and belief module 2

Question 1

what are myths

Answer 1

narrative stores that describe and explain significant events within a culture

Question 2

how does ethnocentrism play a role in why people say other religions have myths

Answer 2

there referring to other religions as myths and their own religion as the truths

Question 3

the substantive beliefs of a religion describe

Answer 3

natural domains
supernatural domains
phenomena within these domains
the laws or principles that govern their functioning

Question 4

substantive beliefs inlcude several central elements

Answer 4

A sacred geography of the Universe, including its natural & supernatural components.
Specific entities within the supernatural Universe.
Operating principles that govern the Universe & its entities. These principles explain & define both how humans are affected by them & how humans may influence these entities.

Question 5

what is animism

Answer 5

the idea that early religion was based on belief ina world full of anima or spirits

Question 6

anima

Answer 6

the fundamental life force of an entity
Edward B. Tylor argued that animistic ideas were how early societies explained fundamental aspects of living – sleep, dreams, death, visions.

Question 7

all religions have concepts of spirits, this is….

Answer 7

emic universality - suggests this widespread belief reflects a biologically based aspects of our species

Question 8

what are spirits

Answer 8

• humanlike
  -superhuman qualities
  not bound by human limitations etc

Question 9

why do humans believe in spirits?

Answer 9

spirits are forces that cant be seen but can be felt/percieved
personalism - people attribute these forces with psychological, emotional, cognitive, & intentional qualities like our own.
3. Social reference: forces are interpreted using cultural ideas about kinship obligations or other relationships: God the Father, Earth Mother, ancestor spirits.

Question 10

what is animacy detection

Answer 10

Some argue our ancestors evolved “animacy detection” to react to possible predators; unconsciously used to respond to all sorts of other phenomena.
 Suggests that the concept of animism underlying the properties of supernatural beings results from our cognitive processes for detecting animate agents.

Question 11

what is exaptations

Answer 11

adaptation of a trait for a different purpose than that for which the trait evolved

Question 12

how do spirits lead to cooperation

Answer 12

Some researchers link belief in supernatural punishment to enhanced group cooperation.
 A supernatural belief system may reinforce moral behaviors, as the supernatural entity will have all- knowing attributes, exceeding the human ability to enforce actual cooperation.