Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > General > General
|
Buy Now
Supernatural - Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World (Hardcover)
Loot Price: R839
Discovery Miles 8 390
You Save: R72
(8%)
|
|
Supernatural - Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World (Hardcover)
Expected to ship within 10 - 15 working days
|
Humans are existential animals. We are all fully aware of our
fragility, transience, and potential cosmic insignificance. Our
ability to ponder the big questions about death and meaning and the
anxiety that these questions can provoke have motivated us to be a
species not only concerned about survival, but also about our
significance. The quest for transcendent meaning is one reason why
humans embrace the supernatural. Children naturally see the world
as magical, yet when humans reach full cognitive development they
are still drawn to supernatural beliefs and ideas that defy the
laws of physics. Even those who consider themselves secular or
atheists are seduced by supernatural belief systems. Clay
Routledge, an experimental psychologist, asserts that belief or
trust in forces beyond our understanding is rooted in our fear of
death and need for meaning. In Supernatural: Death, Meaning, and
the Power of the Invisible World, he reveals just how universal
supernatural thinking is, and how this kind of thinking is adaptive
and even healthy. Routledge takes readers through a wide range of
fascinating research from psychology that paints a picture of
humans as innate supernatural thinkers. Exploring research from the
emerging field of experimental existential psychology, he makes the
case that all humans have the same underlying existential needs,
with similar coping strategies across times, cultures, and degrees
of religiousness. Surprisingly, cultural institutions such as
sports, environmentalism, secular humanism, and science also
showcase supernatural attributes and qualities. Indeed, studies
show that supernatural thinking assuages stress and anxiety and
improves mood and psychological well-being. But there is a
potential dark side to this line of thinking: it can lead to
personal and social problems, and some individuals can take it a
step too far. However, Routledge argues that this dark side of
supernatural thinking is the exception, not the rule. Further,
supernatural thinking is ever-present, and should unite us instead
of dividing us.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.