Cognitive Science Approaches to the Biblical World

Call For Papers: In 2020, the program unit organizes three sessions: (1) "Cultural evolution and cognitive historiography" (co-sponsored with the Cognitive Science of Religion unit of the American Academy of Religion). We invite scholars to submit a proposal for a paper or panel session who are using cognitive approaches to identify cultural evolutionary processes (e.g., social change, gene-culture co-evolution, transmission of information via social learning, imitation, prestige-bias, etc.) throughout history, especially in antiquity and the Ancient Near East. (2) "Psychological and Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) approaches to ageing, death and mourning in the Bible" (joint session together with Psychology and Biblical Studies seminar). We invite papers that apply at least one psychological theory or cognitive science of religion (CSR) theory or approach to the study of ageing, death and mourning as depicted in the Bible or biblical world. Relevant topics include but are not limited to research on the sense of self when ageing, perceptions of the agency and personhood of the deceased, commemorative practices and interactions with funerary spaces, places, and objects, and rituals of mourning and grief as coping and as responses to crises. Proposals should identify the text(s) and/or artefacts to be examined and state clearly how psychological and/or CSR theories and approaches are utilized in the presentation. Reference to the ancient languages should be included where relevant. (3) The third session is open for any proposal using explanations from cognitive science to understand religious thought, experience, and practice.

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