Full Description
Traditionally, science and religion have often been viewed in competition, with the belief that rational, scientific thought wins out in the end. The authors of this volume provide compelling arguments that suggest that this replacement model does not hold up. Rather, recent psychological research suggests that forms of reasoning, even forms believed to be in conflict, such as supernatural and scientific thought, often coexist in the minds of both children and adults. The focus of this issue is on exploring how and when individuals endorse beliefs that might be construed as stemming from a number of highly different and potentially conflicting worldviews and it provides important new ways of characterizing cognitive development. The issue should be read by researchers interested in development and education. It is valuable reading for anthropologists and philosophers interested in the role of culture in cognition and the development of knowledge more generally. Educators may find this issue relevant for considering obstacles/barriers to teaching particular scientific concepts.
Contents
Introduction; Searching for Coherence in a Complex World: Introduction to the Special Issue on Explanatory Coexistence: Rosengren, K.S.; Gutierrez, I.T.; Papers; The Ghost in the Machine: Why and How the Belief in Magic Survives in the Rational Mind: Subbotsky, E.; Contradictory or Complementary? Creationist and Evolutionist Explanations of the Origin(s) of Species: Evans, E.M.; Lane, J.D.; Conflicting Thoughts about Death: Harris, P.L.; Between Religion and Science: Integrating Psychological and Philosophical Accounts of Explanatory Coexistence: Legare, C.H.; Visala, A.; Commentaries; When Worlds Collide - Or Do They? Implications of Explanatory Coexistence for Conceptual Development and Change. Commentary on Evans & Lane, Harris, Legare & Visala, and Subbotsky: Gelman, S.A.; The Coexistence Problem in Psychology, Anthropology, and Evolutionary Theory. Commentary on Evans & Lane, Harris, Legare & Visala, and Subbotsky: Whitehouse, H.
