Cognitive Science of Religion

     How did the human mind come to acquire religion? Where do the ideas of a God, of invisible spirits, of lingering ancestors come from? How do the ordinary cognitive capabilities of humans produce ideas of the otherworldly, the extraordinary, and the supernatural? What are the best methodologies to employ in the study of religion? These questions arise in the field of the Cognitive Science of Religion, and are questions that have captivated me in recent years. Religion may be a specific, stand-alone entity to most, only to be studied in ivory towers or by the clergy, but in reality religion is a subject that relates to many aspects of the world, including sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law. Understanding how the human mind creates, perceives, and alters religion is another piece of the great evolutionary puzzle. The idea of applying theories of cognitive science to religion has surfaced only quite recently–in the past 15 years or so–and makes the studying the subject at the undergraduate level an exciting and rare opportunity.

     My curriculum will combine classes from the departments of Religion, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Women’s Studies, and Philosophy across the Five College Consortium. I will focus primarily on Buddhism due to its distinctive psychological foundations and idea of “nonself,” and focus on understanding the nature of religion–that is, constantly using information to re– and deconstruct what defines “religion.” I wish to problematize current methodologies of studying religion, and I wish to bring a distinct point of view to the Cognitive Science of Religion: that of someone with an educational base of Religious Studies, rather than someone educated primarily in Cognitive Science. This is important because it will allow me to approach the field with knowledge of the problems associated with studying religion, with distinct ideas of religion, and with knowledge of many religious traditions, rather than with a singular idea or definition of religion (for example, religion as ritual, religion as belief in god, religion as going to church, etc.).

     While my studies seem specific, the career opportunities I have in mind are quite broad. There is the obvious choice of a professor, a job which I would immensely enjoy and which I will pursue at some point in life. Other options include utilizing the knowledge gained by focusing on Buddhism, a tradition is intimately tied with political and historical knowledge of Asia, to work in international government relations. I also wish to pursue teaching English as a second language in foreign countries. No matter what career I pursue, I aspire to focus on cultural understanding, education, and an expansion of knowledge; I seek to help others understand those who may be different than themselves, and I seek to help others succeed in their own passions.

     Courses relevant to this concentration include Religion and Democracy, Buddhist Ethics, Nature of Religion, Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Psychology, History of Feminist Theory, Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy and Hermeneutics, Evolutionary Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Self and Identity, and Consciousness.

Comments

[BDIC]

This is an intellectually challenging concentration and it's good to see that you can envision many different career pathways. Dan Gordon

[Gerard Sneed]

I am so proud of you and I am so admired by your readiness and desire to study new things, discover new religions and to explore the new horizons of your mind! As a writer of an essay service I would love if you be a colleague of mine! We would write brilliant essays together because my major is Philosophy!