Theory of Religion and Historical Research. A Critical Realist Perspective on the Study of Religion as an Empirical Discipline

Q2 Arts and Humanities Zeitschrift fur Religionswissenschaft Pub Date : 2020-10-07 DOI:10.1515/zfr-2020-0001
H. Seiwert
{"title":"Theory of Religion and Historical Research. A Critical Realist Perspective on the Study of Religion as an Empirical Discipline","authors":"H. Seiwert","doi":"10.1515/zfr-2020-0001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The article discusses the connection between theory formation and historical research in the study of religion. It presupposes that the study of religion is conceived of as an empirical discipline. The empirical basis of theories is provided primarily by historical research, including research in the very recent past, that is, the present time. Research in the history of religions, therefore, is an indispensable part of the study of religion. However, in recent discussions on the methods, aims, and theoretical presuppositions of the discipline, research in the history of religions largely is ignored. To shed some light on this blind spot, the article builds on the philosophy of science of Critical Realism. While the first part deals with the role of historical research in theoretical discourses of the discipline, the second part explains fundamental ontological and epistemological positions of Critical Realism and their implications for empirical research. On this basis, some methodological problems of theory formation in the study of religion are discussed in the third part. In particular, it is argued that it is impossible to validate empirically theories of religion that aim to explain what religion is. The concluding part sketches ways of theory formation in the study of religion that does not take religion as the explanandum but as the theoretical perspective that guides research.","PeriodicalId":38422,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Religionswissenschaft","volume":"28 1","pages":"207 - 236"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2020-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/zfr-2020-0001","citationCount":"9","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Zeitschrift fur Religionswissenschaft","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1515/zfr-2020-0001","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Arts and Humanities","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 9

Abstract

Abstract The article discusses the connection between theory formation and historical research in the study of religion. It presupposes that the study of religion is conceived of as an empirical discipline. The empirical basis of theories is provided primarily by historical research, including research in the very recent past, that is, the present time. Research in the history of religions, therefore, is an indispensable part of the study of religion. However, in recent discussions on the methods, aims, and theoretical presuppositions of the discipline, research in the history of religions largely is ignored. To shed some light on this blind spot, the article builds on the philosophy of science of Critical Realism. While the first part deals with the role of historical research in theoretical discourses of the discipline, the second part explains fundamental ontological and epistemological positions of Critical Realism and their implications for empirical research. On this basis, some methodological problems of theory formation in the study of religion are discussed in the third part. In particular, it is argued that it is impossible to validate empirically theories of religion that aim to explain what religion is. The concluding part sketches ways of theory formation in the study of religion that does not take religion as the explanandum but as the theoretical perspective that guides research.
查看原文
分享 分享
微信好友 朋友圈 QQ好友 复制链接
本刊更多论文
宗教理论与历史研究“,”从批判现实主义的角度看作为经验学科的宗教研究
摘要本文探讨了宗教研究中理论形成与历史研究的联系。它的前提是,宗教研究被认为是一门经验主义学科。理论的经验基础主要是由历史研究提供的,包括最近的过去,也就是现在的研究。因此,宗教史研究是宗教研究不可缺少的一部分。然而,在最近关于该学科的方法、目标和理论前提的讨论中,宗教史的研究在很大程度上被忽视了。本文以批判实在论的科学哲学为基础,揭示了这一盲点。第一部分论述了历史研究在该学科理论话语中的作用,第二部分解释了批判现实主义的基本本体论和认识论立场及其对实证研究的影响。在此基础上,第三部分探讨了宗教研究中理论形成的一些方法论问题。特别是,有人认为,不可能验证旨在解释宗教是什么的宗教经验理论。结语部分概述了不以宗教为解释对象,而是以宗教为指导研究的理论视角的宗教研究理论形成途径。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 去求助
来源期刊
Zeitschrift fur Religionswissenschaft
Zeitschrift fur Religionswissenschaft Arts and Humanities-Religious Studies
CiteScore
0.40
自引率
0.00%
发文量
17
期刊最新文献
Träume, Tränen und Tempel Religiöse Tradition in Bewegung Der Tod Gottes und das nachidealistische Denken Oliver Krüger: Virtualität und Unsterblichkeit. Gott, Evolution und die Singularität im Post- und Transhumanismus. Rombach Wissenschaft Reihe Litterae, Bd. 123 (Freiburg i. Br.: Rombach Verlag, 2. überarb. u. ergänzte Auflage 2019), 473 S., ISBN 978-3-96821-626-3. Nickolas P. Roubekas: The Study of Greek and Roman Religions: Insularity and Assimilation (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2022), xiii +173 pp., ISBN 9781350102613, £76.50. DOI: 10.5040/9781350102804.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
现在去查看 取消
×
提示
确定
0
微信
客服QQ
Book学术公众号 扫码关注我们
反馈
×
意见反馈
请填写您的意见或建议
请填写您的手机或邮箱
已复制链接
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
×
扫码分享
扫码分享
Book学术官方微信
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术
文献互助 智能选刊 最新文献 互助须知 联系我们:info@booksci.cn
Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。
Copyright © 2023 Book学术 All rights reserved.
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号 京ICP备2023020795号-1