论宗教的认同性和别异性——一种方法论的探讨

在人类的群体性划分中,民族是一个基础性概念;民族是人类生存的一般规则和普遍现象。任何民族的形成和发展都是通过内部认同和外部别异实现的,这使任何民族都具有认同性和别异性。纵观各民族的发展史,每个民族在实现内部认同和外部别异的过程中,宗教都发挥有重要的作用。就宗教而言,它自身也具有认同性和别异性。宗教在民族认同和别异中的作用,可以表述为宗教的认同性和别异性对民族认同和别异的神圣化。宗教的认同性和别异性是个"中性"的概念,普遍适用于每个民族,因此,它也具有了认识各民族社会发展的方法论价值。     

Religion/Technology, Not Theology/Science, as the Defining Dichotomy

Science and religion are incommensurable: one cannot use centimeters to measure volume. Science's proper cognate is theology. Science and theology are human activities that are basically conceptual (partly fallible) frameworks for explaining experience. Religion and technology, by contrast, involve and control or limit human practice and experience : they involve "sensate" reality—people and things. The study of the interaction of these four terms (or any two) must use the terms more precisely.
Science as practiced today has become scientism , another theology. Technology is, without any doubt, the world's most powerful and fastest growing religion.
Minor squabbles among theologies, including science, must continue, but it is the tensions between technology and the established religions that will define this century. Battles on three fronts are already clear: the environment, globalization, and economic gaps. But whole–person healing, the replacement for high–tech reductionist modern medicine, is the most significant, because it will undermine science, which has hitched its wagon to this falling star.
The end of fundamental science is upon us, because it has been so successful. Science will be increasingly applications–driven, and it will be judged by results. Here, it has met its nemesis in wholeperson healing that incorporates integrative medicine. Scientists must now reconsider their role in society. It will not be easy to accept a humbler position. Moreover, the vague allusions to spirituality by scientists need a more authentic commitment to praxis in lifestyle.     

Challenging the By-Product Theory of Religion in the Cognitive Science of Religion

In this short article I argue that neurotheology should be conceived and practiced within a theological framework. Taking the case of Catholic theology as an example, five proposals are provided that offer a glimpse and, in my estimation, a realistic account of a (future) Catholic neurotheology. I identify two possible modes of how to practice Catholic neurotheology and conclude that any Catholic neurotheology that attempts to be practiced in accordance with these five proposals will be extremely challenging for Catholic theology.     

Cryonics: Science or Religion

Cryonics involves the low-temperature freezing of human corpses in the hope that they will one day be reanimated. Its advocates see it as a medical treatment but as in any medical procedure, this presupposes some scientific evidence. This paper examines the scientific basis of this technology and argues that cryonics is based upon assertions which have never been (and potentially can never be empirically demonstrated) scientifically. After providing a general overview of cryogenic preservation, I discuss how advocates of this technology have conceptualized death and more specifically their notion of information-theoretic death. I conclude that cryonics is based upon a naive faith rather than upon science. It does what David Chidester (2005) calls ‘religious work,’ even if it is not explicitly religious. It offers transcendence over death.

     

科学与宗教关系评述

人类要生存,就要认识世界。认识有对有错。为了获得正确的知识,人类逐渐总结经验教训,不断改进认识的方法,用能够获得正确知识的方法去获得知识,这就是科学。无论在古希腊文还是现在的英文中,“科学”这个词同时也指称“知识”。我国近代使用“科学”之始,不过是指那些分门别类的、被认为是正确的知识。这些知识,有关于自然的,也有关于社会和语言、文学的等等。文学艺术言志抒情,本身不是知识;但是要了解古往今来言志抒情的状况,获得写事状物的技巧,评价作品的优劣得失,这就是进入了知识的领域,进入了科学之门。     

Science and Religion in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract. To achieve peace on our planet we must bridge the gap not only between science and religion but also among faith traditions. Accepting the doctrine of multiple paths can reduce interreligious tensions. Every view of the Divine is partial, every faith system rests upon supreme spiritual experiences, and each one provides fulfillment in the yearning to connect with the Cosmic Mystery.     

宗教研究的认知科学新取向

宗教认知科学是新近出现的从认知和进化的角度研究宗教的分支学科。主要有认知副产物和社会适应两种理论。认知副产物理论认为宗教信仰是人类认知倾向的副产物;社会适应理论认为宗教信仰促进群体的团结合作,是一个精巧的社会适应机制,有助于群体的自然选择。两种理论引发了系列的实验研究,由于宗教认知科学仍处于理论研究向实证研究的过渡阶段,未来需统一概念,加强实验范式的建立,更多地借助认知科学的方法和工具开展实证研究。     

Explaining Away and the Cognitive Science of Religion

In order to evaluate the claim that theistic belief can be explained away by science, four models of the relationship between science and theism are developed and their relevance to explaining away explored. These models are then used to evaluate an argument against theistic belief based on developments in the cognitive science of religion. It is argued that even if the processes that produce theistic belief are unreliable, this is insufficient to show that explaining away takes place. Indeed, given the difficulty of showing that the conditions for explaining away are met, it is very unlikely that such an argument can succeed.     

The Territories of Science and Religion

Journal of Religion and Health -     

从后现代科学到后现代宗教

进入20世纪八、九十年代以来,随着非线性系统科学的发展,一些原有的自然科学理论的局限性日益显露出来,加上人们对现代科学及现代化所引发的一系列问题的深入思考,于是,对已有科学的批评渐渐多了起来。与此同时,各种各样的新科学也渐渐多了起来。在各种各样的新科学中,有一种新科学开始引起人们广泛的关注,这种新科学便是现在正名燥一时的后现代科学。后现代科学成了后现代的理论基础,并因而成为后现代宗教转向的重要理论支撑。     

Debunking Arguments and the Cognitive Science of Religion

Do the cognitive origins of our theistic beliefs debunk them or explain them away? This paper develops an empirically motivated debunking argument and defends it against objections. First, we introduce the empirical and epistemological background. Second, we develop and defend the main argument, the debunking argument from false god beliefs. Third, we characterize and evaluate the most prominent religious debunking argument to date: the debunking argument from insensitivity. It is found that insensitivity-based arguments are problematic, which makes them less promising than the debunking argument from false god beliefs.     

关于科学与宗教关系的一些思考

一、对立统一是科学与宗教关系的简单表述我想站在辩证的立场整合先哲和同人业以提供的关于科学与宗教关系的观点。     

詹姆斯论后现代科学与宗教

Ｗ 詹姆斯 (ＷｉｌｌｉａｍＪａｍｅｓ,1 842— 1 91 0年 )常常被视为美国最伟大的心理学家 ,但他同时也是最早的后现代思想家之一。在詹姆斯的著作中 ,人们发现他打破了陈旧的范畴 ,并建立了崭新的、后现代的范畴。在某种程度上 ,人们并没有认识到詹姆斯思想的后现代性质 ,因