Review of Religion Explained-- The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought by Pascal Boyer (2002) (review revised 2019)

You can get a quick summary of this book on p 135 or 326. If you are not up to speed on evolutionary psychology, you should first read one of the numerous recent texts with this term in the title. One of the best is "The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology" 2nd ed by Buss. Until about 15 years ago, ´explanations´ of behavior have not really been explanations of mental processes at all, but rather vague and largely useless descriptions of what people did and what they said, with no insight into why. We might say that people gather to commemorate an event, praise god, receive his (or her or their) blessings, etc., but none of this describes the relevant mental processes, so we might say they are explanations in much the same way that it explains why an apple drops to the ground if we say its because we released it, and it's heavy-there is no mechanism and no explanatory or predictive power. This book continues the elucidation of the genetic basis of human behavior which has been almost universally ignored and denied by academia, religion, politics and the public (see Pinker´s excellent book ``The Blank Slatè`). His statement (p3) that it is meaningless to ask if religion is genetic is mistaken as the percentage of variation of any behavior due to genes and environment can be studied, just as they are for all other behaviors (see e.g., Pinker). The title should be Preliminary Attempts to Explain Some Aspects of Primitive Religion, since he does not treat higher consciousness at all (e.g., satori, enlightenment etc.) which are by far the most interesting phenomena and the only part of religion of personal interest to intelligent, educated people in the 21st century. Reading this entire book, you would never guess such things exist. Likewise, for the immense field of drugs and religion. It lacks a framework for rationality and does not mention the dual systems of thought view which is now so productive. For this I suggest my own recent papers. Nevertheless, the book has much of interest, and in spite of being dated is still worth reading. Those wishing a comprehensive up to date framework for human behavior from the modern two systems view may consult my book ‘The Logical Structure of Philosophy, Psychology, Mind and Language in Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Searle’ 2nd ed (2019). Those interested in more of my writings may see ‘Talking Monkeys--Philosophy, Psychology, Science, Religion and Politics on a Doomed Planet--Articles and Reviews 2006-2019 3rd ed (2019), The Logical Structure of Human Behavior (2019), and Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st Century 4th ed (2019

Culture of Conspiracy: An Explanation of Politics.

Conspiracy appears to make sense out of a world that is otherwise confusing. New World Order conspiracies were limited to two sub-cultures, primarily the military anti-government right and secondly Christian fundamentalist concerned with end of the emergence of anti-Christ culture of conspiracy. Our society is rotten with secrets. Since the working of government and multinational rapidly lead us into areas which are truly occult. Where does the occult fit in? Some times people bored by rationalism and drawn to stigmatized Knowledge. It is said globalists who plot on behalf of new world order are simply misusing occultism for Machiavellian ends. Adolf Hitler’s New Order which reverses the ‘Decline of West’ and ushers a golden age of white supremacy. Skeptics argue that conspiracy theorist grossly overestimate ex-Nazis of Neo-Nazi on American Society and point out that political repression at home and imperialism abroad have a long history in the United States that predates the 20th century.- Anti-scientist say conspiracy theorist emphasized technology forecasting in their New World Order conspiracy theories. They analyze the rapid change in the world around through technology.-Herman and Chomsky emphasizes that the propaganda model presents a ‘free market analysis of mainstream media with the result largely the outcome of working of market forces. In the view of Lang, media not only mouth piece of elites interests, it also present alternative point of view particularly when division within elites and significant political movement exist. Herman and Chomsky had ignored the insight generated by cultural studies like Marcuse on ideology and Foucault on Discourse

The Look of Math

If consideration is given to math’s look when it is written out, math can be experienced visually without working with or understanding its logical content. This “meaningless math” then becomes a vessel into which new contextual meaning is injected by a given observer. “The look of math” is a part of ethnomathematics, or the culture of mathematics, which necessarily and anti-Platonically (i.e., taking math to be purely a human endeavor) contains mathematics per se. Formal elements in math-as-art can be categorized as algebraic, geometric, diagrammatic, or organic. The main idea is not “math can be art,” but rather that math has a look, which is not the same thing as math’s inner structure, and which is exploitable in nonmathematical ways. However, math has special properties that amplify its importance as some specific thing that has rarely been isolated and defined as art, thereby granting math potential for contribution to art

MODERNIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM ON REDUCTION OF PIWULANG VALUES SUNAN DRAJAT LAMONGAN (CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WEAKENING OF THE TEACHINGS AND CULTURAL VALUES OF SUNAN DRAJAT LAMONGAN)

Calling Sunan Drajat already familiar and his work has resonated in the archipelago. The struggle and character of the Walisongo to date remain in the hearts of the Indonesian people so that it becomes a separate tradition to always be blessed through the moment of Walisongo pilgrimage. The community is so hypnotized by the power to always appreciate good intentions through Walisongo pilgrimage moments as a form of gratitude and want to imitate Kipra and Walisongo's struggle. But with the development of the times and advances in technology, the community has been hypnotized by the presence of pilgrims. The community has used and tried to make profits only regardless of the actual conditions that religious tourism has become a magnet for mere profit. Many are forgotten and neglected from the essence of the sunan Drajat Lamongan tomb, which is a place to get closer to Allah on a pilgrimage

Unitive/mystical experiences and life changes

The purpose of this study was to explore life changes in beliefs, philosophy, and behavior in individuals who reported having a unitive/mystical experience (U/ME). A U/ME is a generally spontaneously occurring state of consciousness characterized by a sense of unity or oneness that transcends sensory or cognitive apprehension (Stace, 1960). There is often an ineffable certainty that an ultimate truth has been perceived and can be applied to one\u27s life. The experience may be accompanied or followed by feelings of joy and bliss. One hundred sixty adults from a broad range of demographic characteristics participated in a one-time webbased survey. The concept of a unitive/mystical experience was based on the mysticism theory of Stace (1960). Hood\u27s Scale - Research Form D (1975; 2005) was used to assess the intensity and degree of reported U/MEs since it is an operationalization of Stace\u27s theory. Life changes were assessed using Greyson\u27s Life Changes Inventory - Revised (2004). Participants also answered ten demographic questions. Four research questions were addressed using correlational methodology. These questions explored the type of changes reported after a unitive/mystical experience, the relationship of the intensity of the U/ME to the changes, perceptions of the overall quality of respondents\u27 lives after the U/ME, and the relationship of the changes to selected demographic variables. Results of the study indicated that there were significant increases in participants\u27 concern with social and planetary values, self-acceptance, spirituality, quest for meaning and sense of purpose, concern for others, and appreciation for life. Respondents reported a significant decrease in concern with worldly achievement. The area of religiousness showed no change.Results also indicated that a more intense unitive/mystical experience was associated with a greater degree of change overall, and with a significant increase in appreciation for life specifically. Participants indicated that their overall quality of life had changed significantly after their U/MEs in a direction perceived as beneficial. There was no significant relationship between reported changes and demographic variables. Limitations of the study, suggestions for future research, and implications of the findings were discussed

Intimations of a Spiritual New Age: I. The Spiritual Emergence and Personal Tragedy of a Universalized Christian Mysticism in the Life and Work of Simone Weil

This is the first in a projected series on the envisionings during the crisis years of the 1930s of a future spiritual New Age consequent on the coming globalization of an individualist, capitalist, technologically driven world economy. In very different ways Jung, the philosophers Bergson and Heidegger, the historian Toynbee, and Wilhelm Reich, foresaw an emergent New Age consistent with a post-modern secular culture. Others such as Teilhard de Chardin, Krishnamurti, and Gurdjieff anticipated their own potential universalizing of more mystical aspects of the world religions. Simone Weil’s version of an essentialized mystical Christianity is part of the latter attempts, including her proposed synthesis with a mystical Platonism, along with her versions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism. Eschewing traditional doctrines of Resurrection, after-life, and final judgement, Weil offered her own transpersonal understanding of a “negative theology” of the unknowability of God other than through states of Grace, based on the individual experience of “affliction” uniquely exemplified by Christ on the Cross, and the beauty of the natural order. Her personal struggles throughout her highly original mystical realization, still seen by many as an exemplary guidance toward a Christianity of the future, and its tragic “meta-pathological” inversion in the last years of her short life, attest to challenges entailed in non-traditional transpersonal developments that might anticipate a spirituality of the future

The historical evolution of accounting in China: the effects of culture.

Muchos estudios recientes han afirmado que China integra en su sistema contable sus reglas tradicionales, sus intereses culturales y su estilo de vida. La “cultura” sería el punto dominante en su sistema contable. Hofstede, Gray, Mueller y otros investigadores empíricos de la contabilidad, que enfatizan la influencia de los efectos culturales en la configuración de los sistemas contables nacionales, sostienen que la Contabilidad China ha sido dominada por la “Cultura” China. Este trabajo presenta tres de entre las variables culturales chinas, a saber, Confucianismo, Feng Shui, Budismo, Yin-Yang, etc., que han marcado los comportamientos y las técnicas contables chinas. En China, el sistema contable se basó tradicionalmente en las prácticas confucianistas y en la antigua sabiduría; estos elementos todavía influyen en el sistema actual. En este artículo se estudian las influencias desde una perspectiva histórica en relación con las variables culturales chinas. Las influencias examinadas se centran en los metódos de la teneduría de libros, en las prácticas contables, en la información contable, etc. Many recent studies have argued that China integrates its traditional rules, cultural interests and its life style into its accounting system. “Culture” is the main point for their accounting system. Hofstede, Gray, Mueller, and some other empiricist accounting researchers who emphasize the influence of cultural effects on national accounting improvements claim that Chinese Accounting has been dominated by Chinese “Culture”. This paper presents three Chinese cultural variables (e.g. Confucianism, Feng Shui, Buddhism, Yin-Yang, etc.) that have shaped Chinese accounting behaviors and techniques. In China, the Chinese accounting system was traditionally based on Confucian practices and ancient wisdom; these elements still influence the current system. In this paper, the influences are discussed from a historical perspective with regard to cultural variables in China. The influences studied focused on bookkeeping methods, accounting practices, accounting information, etc.Factores ambientales, contabilidad, cultura, China, Confucianismo, Feng Shui, polaridad Yin-Yang, contabilidad por partida simple y partida doble. Environmental Factors, Accounting, Culture, China, Confucianism, Feng Shui, Yin-Yang Polarity, Single & Double-Entry bookkeeping methods.

The impact of unlucky number floor on private residential and Home Ownership Scheme housing property price in Hong Kong

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2010.Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-84).published_or_final_versio