From Earth Spirits to Sky Gods: The Socioecological Origins of Monotheism, Individualism, and Hyper-Abstract Reasoning, From the Stone Age to the Axial Iron Age
by Bruce Lerro
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Description
In this thought-provoking new book, Bruce Lerro offers a speculative reconstruction of the sacred beliefs and practices of cultures existing between 30,000 and 500 B.C.E. Lerro describes how material changes in various social formations--including hunting-gathering bands and horticulturalists in villages--were responsible for the shift from magic to realism, from the belief in earth spirits to faith in sky gods. Drawing from such diverse theorists as Marx and Engels, Vygotsky, Piaget, and show more George Herbert Mead, Lerro critiques and transforms mechanical, humanistic, new age, and countercultural perspectives on the history of sacred traditions. This study of comparative religion and mythology has important applications for the fields of archaeology, evolutionary anthropology, sociology, political science, and comparative psychology. show lessTags
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5 Works 8 Members
Classifications
- Genres
- Religion & Spirituality, Nonfiction, Sociology, History
- DDC/MDS
- 200.901 — Religion The Bible & Christianity Religion History, geographic treatment, biography
- LCC
- BL430 .L47 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Religions. Mythology. Rationalism Religions. Mythology. Rationalism Religious doctrines (General) Origins of religion
- BISAC
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- 3
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- 4,747,511
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 1
