Meaning and Religion: Exploring Mutual Implications

“Meaning” and “religion” appear as deeply interlinked concepts in modern thought. Theology has often discovered religious faith as a “source of meaning” and philosophy of religion has tried to better describe that link to show how religion provides meaning, or is built through structures of meaning, or is a form of “meaning‑construction”. Cognitive approach may add new perspectives to better explain this implication. Recent attempts combine scientific methods and philosophical analysis to show how meaning is built and works, and how religion provides a specific sort of meaning, distinct from other forms in which meaning displays itself. Describing religion in terms of “meaning building” helps to better understand its specific role and function in the human mind, and offers a more balanced view on its cognitive dimensions. Different attempts to connect religion and meaning are reviewed in this paper in order to offer a complement to the new scientific study of religion

Altruismo y misericordia

Los estudios sobre altruismo han producido en los últimos 20 años numerosas investigaciones que tratan de conocer mejor la conducta humana, considerada frecuentemente como algo enigmático. La teología aplicada a entender el amor al prójimo puede servirse provechosamente de este tipo de investigación para actualizar su método propio. Este artículo trata de ofrecer una revisión sistemática de los ensayos y artículos publicados desde 2010 para responder a las cuestiones pendientes en el estudio científico del altruismo que son más relevantes para la teología cristiana. Las conclusiones subrayarán el impacto que estos estudios tienen para una teología del amor en diálogo con las humanidades y las ciencias.«Altruism studies», as a sub-discipline has produced in the last 20 years a considerable amount of research in the attempt to better know that human behavior, often seen as «enigmatic». Theology applied to understand neighbor’s love can make good use of such research in order to update its own approach. The present paper tries to offer a systematic review of essays and articles published since 2010 in order to answer central questions still looming in the scientific study of altruism and of great importance for Christian anthropology. Concluding remarks will make the point on the impact that these series of studies has for a theology of love engaged on interdisciplinary dialogue with humanities and sciences