Phenomenology Essay

Historical Background: Philosophical Phenomenology and the Social Science
Introduction
The major thing that is done under this chapter is an outline of the various influences under
which the phenomenological study of religion evolve and its relationship to philosophical
phenomenology. This help in explaining and accessing how leading phenomenologists adapt key
concepts from philosophical phenomenology to what they consider as a method uniquely suited
for the study of religion. Basically, the recourse to phenomenology of religion was an insistence
that believers perspectives should take priority over and against prejudicial and reductionist
explanations characteristics of the Social Science. As such, there are about four of such social
scientific views against which phenomenology of religion is discussed to have reacted. They
includes: social scientific reductionism, application of biological evolution to levels of religious
development, projectionist theories of religion and theological reductionism. These are now
discussed one after the other.
Social Scientific Reductionism
Reductionism is said to involve the practice of explaining a subject of inquiry by making
reference to a single causative factor or family of related causative factors. Reductionism in the
field of religion is when a scholar seeks to interpret religious behavior using theories which are
peculiar and are known with certain disciplines. For instance, the sociologist – Emile Durkheim,
explained ritual and other related religious practice as fulfilling certain functions in the society,
such as re-enforcing socially sanction relationships. The psychologist also tends to interprets
religious phenomena in terms of emotional needs and often ignores the conscious meaning of
religious acts for the believers themselves1. In this regard, the Dutch scholar, J. G. Platvoet was
1
J. L. Cos, An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion, (New York & London: Continuum International, 2010),
p. 34.
said to have opined that social scientist have tended to reduce religion to their own primary
discipline as if their discipline is equivalent to religion2
Biological Evolution Applied to Levels of Religious Development
Reductionism arising out of the application of Darwinian concepts of biological evolution to the
social development of human societies in general and the field of religious studies in particular is
the core issue of discourse under this sub-heading. According to Cox, with the large acceptance
of theory of evolution as propounded by Darwin, scholars began to look for parallel
developments occurring in cultures, society and religion. 3 Thus, the general background to the
evolutionary inquiry in the study of religion is that universal religious tendency in humanity
originated in a primitive form and gradually evolved into a higher and more advanced
expression.
Augustus Comte (1798-1857 is known as the father of sociology. His evolutionary thesis
suggests that humans in their mental development goes through 3 developmental stages: the
theological through metaphysical to the scientific
James G. Frazer based his own evolutionary inquiry in the field of religion on his discourse of
the sequential stages in human, social and intellectual development. He posits the first stage as
the age of magic, then to religion, then to science
Tylor’s animism
2
J. L. Cos, An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion … p. 34
3
J. L. Cos, An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion … p. 36
Projectionist Theories of Religion
The projectionist theories is about the assumption that religion developes out of some human
needs which have been enlarged and projected into an ultimate being. The core argument of the
projectionist theorist is that, God is created in the human image rather than human beings being
created in the image of God. A leading projectionist theorist, Ludwig Feuerbach (1804 – 1872)
in his Essence of Christianity argued that humans are aware about their finite situation, familiar
with their imperfection, recognize their own restricted knowledge. But discovered that they are
seriously and always in search for perfection and seek to be unlimited and infinite in their quest
4
for knowledge and become omnipotence in the face of their powerlessness. however, out of
their own limitation, finite nature, failures and powerlessness, human beings have projected the
these ideals into a creature of their making they call God who is infinite, all-knowing, all-
powerful, all-loving etc.
Theological Reductionism
4
P. 40

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Historical Background: Philosophical Phenomenology and the Social Science

includes: social scientific reductionism, application of biological evolution to levels of religious

discussed one after the other.

Social Scientific Reductionism

Reductionism is said to involve the practice of explaining a subject of inquiry by making

discipline as if their discipline is equivalent to religion2

Biological Evolution Applied to Levels of Religious Development

of theory of evolution as propounded by Darwin, scholars began to look for parallel

theological through metaphysical to the scientific

the age of magic, then to religion, then to science

powerful, all-loving etc.

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