A Synoptic Approach: Resolving Problems in Empirical and Phenomenological Approaches to the Psychology of Religion
This essay is specifically an argument for a synoptic orientation for the study of the psychology of religion. The argument derived from a historical review of the field begins with the problem of lacking a coherent and comprehensive methodology, proceeds with definitions of the two traditional rese...
| Published in: | Journal for the scientific study of religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| 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
[1975]
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| In: |
Journal for the scientific study of religion
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| Further subjects: | B
Empirical Knowledge
B Phenomenology B Religious Behavior B Research Methods B Psychological research B psychology of religion B Christianity B Reductionism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | This essay is specifically an argument for a synoptic orientation for the study of the psychology of religion. The argument derived from a historical review of the field begins with the problem of lacking a coherent and comprehensive methodology, proceeds with definitions of the two traditional research orientations (the empirical and the phenomenological), shows their major weaknesses, and concludes with historical evidence in support of the thesis. The main distinction between the orientations is that the empiricists insist that knowledge is reducible to sensory experience such as observation and the phenomenologists reject this claim insisting that knowledge is not reducible to sensory experience. Thus an orientation is needed which includes the strengths of both the empirical and phenomenological views and which excludes their weaknesses. Such an orientation is the synoptic which includes the rigor of empiricism without its reductionism and includes the challenge of the phenomenologists without their insufficient means for validity. |
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| ISSN: | 1468-5906 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the scientific study of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/1384906 |