The Dissenter cover image

The Dissenter

#865 Neil Van Leeuwen - Religion as Make-Believe: A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity

Nov 24, 2023
48:19

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Religious credence differs from factual belief in terms of voluntariness, compartmentalization, inference, and evidential vulnerability.
  • Religious credence can be categorized as a form of make-believe, involving imaginative engagement with religious ideas.

Deep dives

Understanding Belief: Dr. Neil Van Loyen Explains the Concept

Dr. Neil Van Loyen, Associate Professor of Philosophy, delves into the concept of belief in his new book, 'Religion, As Make, Believe, a Theory of Belief Imagination and Group Identity.' He explores the diverse nature of beliefs, emphasizing that they can take different forms and purposes. While factual beliefs are based on evidence and involuntary, religious credences are voluntary and tend to constitute group identities. Dr. Van Loyen highlights four important differences between religious credence and factual belief: voluntariness, compartmentalization, inference, and evidential vulnerability. He dispels the notion that religious people treat their beliefs as factual and discusses the idea of make-belief, showing that religious credence involves imaginative elements. Overall, his work challenges traditional understandings of belief and encourages a deeper exploration of the cognitive and psychological aspects of religion.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode