Breaking a Scientific Taboo: Putting Assumptions about the Supernatural into Scientific Theories of Religion
This paper demonstrates that it is feasible and useful to insert positive and negative assumptions about the supernatural into scientific theories of religion. The logic of constructing theories makes it possible to insert such statements into theories as postulates, along with ordinary propositions...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
[1974]
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| In: |
Journal for the scientific study of religion
Year: 1974, Volume: 13, Issue: 4, Pages: 393-408 |
| Further subjects: | B
Psychological reinforcement
B Taboos B Religious Behavior B Individualism B Logical postulates B Christianity B suicide rates B Prayer B Rice |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | This paper demonstrates that it is feasible and useful to insert positive and negative assumptions about the supernatural into scientific theories of religion. The logic of constructing theories makes it possible to insert such statements into theories as postulates, along with ordinary propositions from general systems theory and reinforcement theory, and then to deduce testable propositions. The logical procedures to follow are carefully described, and several examples are given. It is shown that when differing assumptions about the supernatural are made, differing and opposed empirical propositions about religious behavior can be deduced. It is also shown that incorporating assumptions about the supernatural can produce testable propositions not usually considered by scientific students of religion. |
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| ISSN: | 1468-5906 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the scientific study of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/1384604 |