Pataki Against Religion

The Arrogance of Gods
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-1-315-51979-1
Verlag: Taylor & Francis
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 200 Seiten

Against Religion applies a psychoanalytic perspective, though with several novel features, to the understanding of some important aspects of religions, particularly to fundamentalist religions. It acknowledges the good in religion, but argues that this is outweighed by the bad.

Religious ideology, practices and institutions satisfy many human needs, including those arising from our hysterical, obsessional and narcissistic dispositions: the need to keep the good and bad aspects of our personalities separate; to feel special and belong to an idealized group; and to bask in the light of, or to identify with, a supposedly omnipotent figure. But these needs and the modes of their satisfaction may become distorted by religions and they may then nurture and accommodate malign characteristics. In this book Pataki argues that those characteristics most germane to understanding much of contemporary aggressive religiosity are best explained in terms of the interactions between religious ideology and narcissistic pathology.

The manner in which religion enters into personal development and the ways in which religions can symbolically or delusorily satisfy the very needs they manufacture are explained, as well as the reasons for the continuing resurgence of religion in some parts of the globe. As a result, the book will appeal to researchers, academics and students interested in psychology, philosophy, sociology and, more generally, to those interested in the place of religion in the modern world.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Pataki, Tamas

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychologische Disziplinen Religionspsychologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionssoziologie und -psychologie, Spiritualität, Mystik
• Sozialwissenschaften Psychologie Psychologie / Allgemeines & Theorie Psychologie: Allgemeines

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction: First things

1. The criticism of religion

2. The revival of religion

3. For the love of God

4. Narcissism and religious development

5. Violence and law

6. Sexual morality

7. Reason and religion

Über Autor(innen)

Tamas Pataki is honorary senior fellow at the University of Melbourne (School of Historical and Philosophical Studies). He studied philosophy at the University of Melbourne and psychoanalysis at University College, London. He has been a lecturer in philosophy at RMIT University, University of Tasmania and University of Melbourne.