Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience: An Anthropological Critique
Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience: An Anthropological Critique
Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience: An Anthropological Critique
Ebook1,107 pages15 hours

Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience: An Anthropological Critique

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

()

Read preview

About this ebook

At the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century people in the United States live in a scary and confusing post-truth era of disinformation, fake news, counter-knowledge, weaponized lies, conspiracy theories, magical thinking and sheer irrationalism. In this intellectual climate where many people lack the rudimentary skills to distinguish between contending claims to knowledge or differentiate between fact and opinion, there is a proliferation of purveyors of supernaturalism, pseudoscience and alternative forms of knowledge whose ideas are an affront to the intelligence and sensibilities of rational people. At the same time, here and around the world oppressive religious fundamentalism and violence are on the rise. The merchants of superstition and paranormalism almost in unison are broadcasting with bluster and hubris that science is now defunct and are offering their own truths and ways of knowing as better substitutes. Even our highest government officials are flagrantly declaring that it is impossible to distinguish between fact and opinion, that for every fact there is an alternative fact, and that truth is whatever people want it to be.

By posing a direct challenge to science and rationality, the advocates of supernatural and paranormal modes of thought have made their own central epistemological and ontological premises legitimate subjects for critical scrutiny in accordance with the tradition of systematic skepticism. “Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience” provides a comprehensive rejoinder to the challenges posed to science, scientific anthropology, evolutionary theory and rationality. Moreover, scientific anthropological answers are offered for several important questions: Why do humans have the proclivity for the supernatural and the paranormal thinking? Why has humanity remained shackled to sets of ideas inherited from a violent past that have no basis in reality, bestow an illusionary solace, inspire endless cruelties and fervent hatreds, and have come at a high cost? Why have ancient superstitions been maintained as sacred, inviolate truths while other aspects of the archaic belief systems of which they were a part have long been discarded? Why have not humans outgrown religion and paranormal beliefs?

This study draws upon the author’s scientific anthropological background and ethnographic field research of supernatural and paranormal beliefs and practices in several cultures over the course of the last 30 years. It also relies upon the works of numerous skeptics; critical historians; scientific anthropologists; cognitive, evolutionary, experimental and anomalistic psychologists; philosophers of science; scientists in various fields; and many theologians.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherAnthem Press
Release dateNov 30, 2019
ISBN9781785271649
Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience: An Anthropological Critique

Related to Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience

Related ebooks

Anthropology For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings

0 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Religion, Supernaturalism, the Paranormal and Pseudoscience - Homayun Sidky

     abook_preview_excerpt.htmlŽےW-+1缐fl&uLE"DI@3R_2@J}g̺KL .{}>պjYq3BהؕuogŰ Ż+ۖ(eUh?;׸nftu(EW /cZ~:շŻ.}vjf(Ul8Tͺxnwe7v_'>lKyЪ²?~.>x/I蟿?'>mzm(׳ǰ/v_)<UP_+r6Pe߇nVЯm1E P*YR?c_{y˸s}/dBwq(j+/اfb׿U6̊-ve7Ļq%wq[]ur\Y~h;<lR>7tUDcHu/5"9&{A>R uX%j1_-6eM;xydvK$H^W}?+xwmmB۶{\5idˏa޶i<7ռ+CJ9Λ?^\}T$ţ_=|tqË{O?i3vKk+D޿\޶c_,+Yes |#rnlBWCoʝ F&|2 p6_|?d&Jzi[9v)/7&ܸLɟ^S "?5׵([^)t-bxc菮q#Zυ (!g}!ۣ JU7_v;6կw%M3oܶM'~)Oz˲Y=m[-❮ї徇+,6m]v"&7øD(ه}=+~_xV$+ 擷.,ptmfǟ0}s.t!j;h~9tf{z>dǶI.wwGZ8AMUx4!zy[_ .my3*nێWrFC:ˀmx!teKRD38udUޫg vۣOݩopN]C`v]~x MS]'5\>B-n 2sԎTD'kú61[Uº\DǪ C\Em܄[lN?[_TQs:iN75^˪_Acc-{$x*B{H,E}]_5 1ӼPkeጰ!L?>B{w~{}tW%cWn|;D(w<$A4ד?1/2"Jbp\^Z7di}Goc7 _X㵁p$E+(>J7qUk{qڲ|TxF6KX(@;Ȋ>fɠ^3>(gFTX>'pmU^;]P}x,>ďϨz\Ed3%A 7ݶn{z >E +zP4k\V} ho@iMTQmTk@)d_V)[T|3 EG?Y|:(ȲNͩHvȂ v9{"nGf~nٗ/N8ǺN.5I})㐨`!ćՍCaŽ;I5uAv/,ǎ(mJ5ڑ{v/^jZSO*W|ZDҚ^ݝ{ժg.c>WW񼟱G̡Yl) =vy|vȗFFH(]ɥ8vzW~xS_u^l:cͬW8޷O?{FKg<,-N,Ez ğCsBƿI-){dgp`0< g5}vڵr@O=g`^~s]W,>ҍ岒 kDT`1Jߴ-Dw*Ẅ54R',=ljr;j4@Yѫ;<&<|:]SYԦS.q]TC:^ݖX8w~O\%M' uˁ?*4EPXXiE,Pq@.y1A$!k&IDP֟3=zʈ Hɋ;Gf*ϣP[<={{:wz?{(f qZ$_$U6s7b3$^pV c$un ˆ>o.'~CN?ߚwfzj䁮k"74煼wba+gkɅZ!Uԋ}G|*t/] '|U .> E>_wQ˸Ptm}̶\rwe=UٟHCɊB0qR~RI}Y.PjyR~ٓ)puW5x/[7>>RV#3r8uɇ^MwYTȆ_אV"Ա&a__bqo=hp?x :%0 pթ:Ƌh} j mu^nu]DóW!b>vGOS;~BS,bDռR9̈Ypk܄g75rx1ty!4H|6ek8UZ +mFl>H<Jp7^-OoݝCQc@qH2 lfܐ [ή;]~][thÎJ7D}8ɼ$Hwϔ7yzl)#],mBrLA+>Ή!<ߵF#swϬ}R!mq邊Ĩ]T@x^6emga"un:Qyr{{ <ؚrt* Zdqw=66۝7}է~HլG҅]y.#t(5HE|h/fZKΉY$'(~gv9{{^0wqɔSV{=1әpQ%X㼼G9brtS@L8n*fwP" )6zL_K[mG4ìF?F?[G,؋?^u3'l$d_غYyƝbThzC=n>f6 n] ;vZ[bt| l?ޥA.ZѽcƗrɑE;{"e@$G\VGt3${@Ӎp5myغ%kpۿmo)ѕ`)'C)(O!oGZV+nPRD> ]8{n53 /؁8Uˮ\ {NꍼK۠$[$8&t]%{w׈~@~LO/~O?N JZkՋ j4(wŸ)Zm>{k2+PLBw!E%o6f9~Ħt/D3ǴF/I N/,Փ'_?>њWRL +Q3hiV<[+)L`Os/WkPܟZlT`?V>TM;|]6fg,_ m._-]hmw "6H7\,fC o+J]޽W֤ݏvp 9Tbq],&^-舠cSKr] ھ;2Er *4VUӗ+>O?/ ʢT6"fײ ~de>i/kW쯙-/Xk\[)X"WƎfh:6|yM Qgl? :.\PVtn}zնb7PB%lԮl&o]͊'v Mqn X7cwh+| KYq˿`y{K#LG&s Lk Tˊ)gqO8pƚNs/bw%x֕n@)OSZ"H#/C7|xcc ?lo ɃFL|cx}(wZ! $wX~NV67&p}G ٟ{kߎ?uq*ŒLwD bʔIoAV#Sxv7AvXs/D׸&)_B<+WcLZU5\lf-xԗh]6ak.2@ BvQd鯲` Av\\>k>ztrdi,&-n{;߼Nףj#zh9bKsI%wf$Q-+gj-c f); Nr}06۾DM$}GY1"RkPϨL{m("KNs16B7K D[$mƆyKN6Պ.tv?2 T6pyaI`Pڳt҈#2i:Ww$:$O3F6]+\4+T%6(43^K1k/S;%ڼ\|alTd[>;?M<뿡S" ZWfY3=ߊ WTl1V Ts#Bٷ|76%=hjFkQ,ʟ,%pLbh`(idF~XfӅ%_=3-=RҺx%}CףZ$,0NL"ubˆRC3].[@\4 bx%c!LiĞ_L7$ဆC?҇΄9J%? ٬:]f5z?Z:UOx|7ox/ś_ݜV?(Phdȯ]1Oj,}ش [멟 Z0<(!.m#@}hѡ!/d^Q ,mٍfuZX㒫Ǐٵn*ᆝ&S_a[?CgXwH|5Q&uEoTTZ'=[.H1ج\kݘ<رd"&b^ZFZ 꼅O/=;A'`/K`l=@~$RT.XX&H"tӌRdz@+{'q!;ywJ;RaϾf:<-rr Է="[+ %6hBuHglKAşID0I̕O+P 3W~ rF5l8,xy 8[dA<Om4Tɽϰ2nm_)"SdiRde(5}r6ĆU?B̻#4+ݼ{L^eI^aYӾ,Ҟ\UzZ1dE0%]^hױt3 uTa ]4&#ܴM޳4$Ore6 ֎}涥 $Țl J( ]wȰaevZVXl!ʴ{\d2 _>~]>0l3-E YCa`ь%)3 {TϬpD[QE1M>ȾEHܠfac;IqREٷÎb"`ZSy5Gњ]>j&ޥ5OVbQL$fl' p["˃`z{M fM⽲w|glb#\Q:'xͼXwvhyD DWqMkt'7UOcSteJɰTjeo*HE_42E,λ+gkO Uf7y?װ2sDZ<$KD0c 10ceFXE 9c&qRu](9^&X+RbiYcä63x g|*uS344BM0ܪ!^?Osv ε#Y4k0j2J|j=`~'2Hh&""6d8A[* 8+К|Y~'J)1p!:x^"חC-Q9K'$.8wdP-W#Kc ˺Oi2ͳwr m2Uhe*]:2/5Q,3HH12nfmtq.ơX?W5"k}e]=git 3ѷai+bL@7k%*/j5f̊\SnwggK6RJ M Ey KA|S6pZ]oq#wh5jD'gN ifB@rPJM$7pyƔ=DfJd2]J\upN-[fAjG.ó2$U($ݺЮq3~87_"^~mEx BRyɤ>\-~0Q24kS=R 0;tܖPc[ubGPͩQ ln9hxYScG2n46*yǃM1lD1mM wd")3-#ٔr(v%N0MRQe/4Dg3M%Qf9?۾Emd8rx{2DކEeV҄3THAv?V3*+%\Fo3P.=> P~lʚulfz^[; Kp`hlm;jmti#%]|mR>3ݷACbln,_a@"Y۩) 0 qF= T%5Ps!Jrjս?نةhXf=XiiVLe:+>k^Jߥ[,nU=~-xэ &%y5QΈ;n~mXv L^RYEo+)ra@!S=[ǖlCr千jJ/8&شLH!%֡[0_D6J[CIFCleD8_JQ?r!z{LIBN؇ئ>>zm`":7&bA!Ǭ5{TdCy`&Y_Ȇ(%塳BfjrEmG\R1LQ`C|`1L8nx641Px;#̗4Ȯ 'Yvl~0RF7yaYŋKp)C"{cty81@PYA1CS"WÞ%֢MzcKΛHz!f  D=!L!#?vβqm0o'v񟹞rPj-cG_w^wN?;۶[.y?{bl?6! 6C\\;3&~5M`fDfmXl)FL؀V*kji3mK4jvZeEtZ!$+Fݖ+ʝ+&1<'Pӹ}y\TlN1iFa`P+OP2,.cuDKwWI˖u$uJXp\Qk8#q'[HK0ThXEOQLpͳc8ByyƔeuYe[*h D3G@\ҩL2w:Xu-eVėq]`2Cgvl,ꔋ@҆ dOhM%{n+oJoR"FUbqL&-kDI3 6ŗB\Z҄#T2NK,ԃ:?r -zf jF0^vPG&+qCzKNBwS £6EREEZP=8S oNnr6*br֓Bq~^Yl@>0m[1иVpLQjVh0cLe@"B&R -n΋ B3ĝJrCR^եU򌷋7pg_|W] 68Gv+UP B95`@ȅw#5<X@(k)@0}WiO[̚`krq:U0F gxy(Zi'K<;pʢv<3$m֭wIY˞o~ZD0cD@q> @; .1ZS>lهt{%vET:@+&YLHOx-F36#%(Żg9VfJ>/dc7'钧L<1F ߱3Qҋg4 Aȗ9Dg=9*|44h!olg1vW7cOECRcEˆ,-kWHvbG8^w)-enCG$o/Z(˰=()JE`jŎ OR~N锣?m쵭q"+GYkFb<#s{„AῢpK~}H_/?*sWͭrRY53w nJ(-AgjjB- &5m_ww+?FY!2cq:ZV$4_hpbॕsc=Xvϖ+|sٮuHx''=/r=!Vjt}#S\k)e]@wޠ4[X T nrm[ =`mHW;ju6` D0aRAHG> iw1舃eo@ΥI#<:yE?C wu}n\ij *v-bY^/➵Z7Ka$ m Dl-#vBg8%9EG{JH N?&:7y)4`7ǒsK;ZM PaR|^y^XՙDzY!Q?De&: j_#65їS}GK$e .B[5ST i2'`9UZy_Cɨ7kAA3xZiV4E=/m8׺2,k*+1)d#>@'4Hv4DD,.9ބX6)Kzeq:?x?;}6(cW+*Ґڭc2%i3:dn$V';Zc{#qu.QQ&y"J~yD2'&*&.'6)>|OjZ8[ՐP:`p֥Ń5]b x 5q`AWMRt7bM7V.=faJYv#Jp_:I TBKd3[di";IU'*kȪ5VvZh;4qjCD„& "fT]&|;ռ RơgQWÒ`\|TAɺݬd5JJ_oFB,#FYo A@f9Ytf-  P.g` Fh6R:A冩P}EG~>ámײs*7 .'DnM%a-!NB+wX1¼ˤϨ>);)af;Ɩ#XzQ1 ?U[Mu1juǝK!˘ҵJkp~D7QkOgR 媁%DYރʞ s8)@yB=8b!#|4aX\HŁN9̛ !vSwn<`# p;ky֨|֜gS;D/v(.~c;I{8RKt͑Sy2Z9sR &|Ѷlra.r^yQ‹D Pi)gxr.p\ 3hzA€ GZU( |oyO7ͭ/Z+~x鍏7-c!Ӄ5#Z, 7՜`$ U/VlwҠ9lW,m{4; gL<w6s|-/3>'gs: UYzoc  1\\°- hmP-y!%!5IfVÆ:ka .EgMH˺笸D:>j{ſՖC)nӧ)H +N#{$}-N$wیdHJv!wNމ)rreD4HgSwj0@EicG=Tl9 @#*9H{ɣ+ѸAEW_""!BUtynͨ%gv,ir+śL{2!QLcsP31twGK2;v}N fNەeAEhShmzw0g$T jfN]b;w3Q7PG~ev/=l^CmHP *ṑF&7i$_E>?ѽ1)DjJ 8/T b=cHQUAG+`*0hmu >|D2է J{}d} %~)P8S-EQ|d]MS0:E:tlS_KX]TWyy3V=uhd*Xv<Ž ȦJx+RتsX@~$hFxK/IͰ[̄g^Trv EKPTUK>EO)6"+юےCnJXM8e<`)!#nJA壠J iqȢk⥍3&$-YY&QI]ś5=CXںhT`7J<7T9 !*0M,6xuY;<կȩf.q7w s0Τe$Ե[\%eHHs5@\0ɩ.꣩jкt 6k; <-*{!f#t^Ln*0CH!֪^FN7h㉟>`[xHf9(LeU 5Fji`RAMDZ7_~}zH8Yò;rD:9tvQOi<\z6i73#SwfQ#Bnlgqo}m!J*y౲&!%j JH@ dj`٭D1cZà^rfnYnS<%У 5L`8 |0{DyO6a l$MEtmKui\5r J6mʝz'|L~ݶd{M(}xieS+Y5M9Lrm7Amԧ-QoOĮ,WqŁ,W%DF F,w28ڷn5BbO dro&\1cnDN,҅fj%ԢOa#8:5Z=tR>ϔ 31w$]eRjf޺C<_ ]|H"BJi(,bh)mWe>l*ֿӅ*h9$u)b8},4dcD+X''ZىO{.2Xf>c[XNYcHUNQ0^Js4S&yz gm=4g&+N&a֢FdyHU'm L6 "RpU?:y|E͙U"KAÇa|H-\w"S ez#8F- MhB* Ֆ pNF(҄5]Et\6 H$c ˜D{~=:Ի266š<3 8 _l-cҡTq6x4ȫNb65lfj$S2!"&*"|mq|wՒ5lǠ]Srcu4s;kU_="NV2z9uWfi->t bK,%+d-+"MhDDb%: *'"/qxg+#z2hL=w)2,k2֗@3KTRNk@s{kk_CP~5Xhv-G볥X ,r,d˨b1obϖGH_Aa}q?cwJ]ol!Li'2녻7#Oд"rs&4 ^Aԩ_½RJtJr'u\cT _m^?`:,:spp|$i']%>;;8 smJ?[5#l6@_"ںVe+NAS֤R9Izj̔qx J#D iQ`;c Oq`!4f|^mgo8 rȅ)T%r$j1f]O=j.c!RdS$}UOԭt8C6*`*+节(]2+e4#ti$Lb)RereY| *}or'Y{I-AV:"Uw6|e`2ZDW/{ "}Цm-WqB]S"bJȽnaQ۴y푧=[a)pY5TC2Y^8`伥.|9m>,Wl9goZj$"|X[#(WEw9ֶ\/qK+9m-NwM~ЙW,6m +M:5щ!yV99139?$mcwAIR"1km'']qvsviLGh;,ZאJ,~ZGWV>2n24bp\<+P$\SJmoLZ=U4=BCX|pX| +GN|-3gq%W;yN>yvsk C N t/}^ @8Jzֽѵ 0%P?MtMM5ۿFXFkܪ߉P0xKs>s:ϭU"j,!,|v>' /ܷQVX .3 fD{h&gO]*`>&G91\9XͼO+C7%LuVcʬ8 Dgz6×II<&CYE֛Y ϲQ fiTdg?pQbފȳT9j&-CixS;Z (̯VKAɰ,ӪlNt:0ì@#fCJMpeu('G[lzRָ'kP0E-mkOHH$F?M'5vak72XwVWM6+AY_cAy}Coj\ ^2 2MAvַy )g,zkMgP J\`f|{|}hMgT);:0+*Q{k%a>MK}ڈ-3u?B9ү;7Վdᎊ Om՛>=OՎN@-P99rӛ~n-tG$T~&*yͤa]T1zeY~XݓJkONnj4pJn2#HV0.YgP9:]'2+L)qK65H}f Kdqz~q,upH;>sݑ):ZLǦBMfTRHk/c*/4佫'_#5m_?.Iu=:|%8wY%(z4yV*]n=.%>[8ouP@ c`dȃWّu: |Y,}O'#Q)ۻNk\c 9kX'nskU-_qǾ*iJnv]s9I'A­=yR),-cNݩ#8ٜ *, [jJ#Qme4_E+բl}Ú\͗o+l+1ŘԢoTR> ;'%XբnG4eG~$}8<,Ļ~N \5Ic~+knTb=I4xĴ7 J`U,q^h=.' !~h8yg%QkaL^?u39~$ U?DcNKoF+"ϊ7VR:@+."h>0KUV6JctoV1&oMX |+6ʉ+A<4Z"(e w\1fyl8ʯea Pdb:H[W$ci}LrO7gX0dR2/ǎԤ܅~P>/hWSOy;&K$unF!#1Wc N >sYf+ x{QFjm=&ԕp?~8+L(DVv]hx_4z'Nٖ-LY>I!PebIˈD@ fUcuĢDZr+Miӆ崏IPj_.*]XGna<L Y<Ҳ2=Eߵz:|;z_h9N:ε(Rr.K #(;+(;"t0 4JF<3e|d:у_W{h%'6y AF UwaTP06u6g]=!(S_% <ײ2uuh Zd_vpU);i8 1~:asgJ ъx{URq1=ãK"tQYGaV|I~ Ƽ m%]V SQJ,FߥpH܃;lEgiikNZ>ʰgye<:\,8zzHȬ7 V+ β@7v;Q7۝ϸ^Ο!ZZ0&p YyO@Y1I<]GD{Uy +D;I]|,+^ĮVHEGxl̮YZmǯqZz pXHeO#8t&YKV e<ک?8w12,ӑvlVSIc4 HkQΰtr)Bvr}&Rvˡ$jor3Lo%qVfN|fĤ&[^bbG/qªWo_ZG4nT|~1 z aՖ4cɯ*{.΃=va.zz.tTb$Qh$$; 8]9%ϲ47v(`+LUe) fa#4mNђ8qB ns+LZcM3R5iyFSv*Fy郍 ޜ~ŸÙdc 5 qD~5-qL8J.89PѤ`Ƭ6z:Gt"rPV1(ݧ<,g C̟̥THq,#^:pcڦg]*tijVʆ|}Cq/\/E%0"B^8x9@ [1j,'ŧ8j9K0}L{KYO.~W%g0ۙfZG(Y$7cY`"Zl1E.$4sݖޱWצhz,iU&;,ND~D}8 2[ft8du\uP6+]iMkX\:_Z>u`N?&$H2@"Ȼ]ځc6~4C{",%1|"h\DыȯKb2ɑz߁&t/m|!mRNȽjigsqr&ԋC,"1yצ)Xg 51n[kM> puLt! 9$Xܠ]K#NJ+]>RC8Ḑ6A#y߃Fi+ :>Nl0쭲dvMyUبH {pAb0^1 Q[{qG>Z>n7F(Y9gINĒ^MW)(Y7R@JL,̂)!C m`Lu@LQ"TѻE,̀sg_M=P7DY,KpDUVCHsu͚d4i~h&E\9**T%zY6> &13KM h6ֽg='~bdK1R6;P>x1Z9m?OI.Yw^3 , BtFP\6׋qx !2iȼLN>.wϙ]/3xyqT<93mDo%R4p]Z̥r \V9|zNM?ýu+OXz{
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1