Morality and the Gods
“Morality and the Gods” by Benjamin Grant Purzycki, published by Cambridge University Press on July 10, 2025, is a concise exploration of the intricate relationship between religion and morality. This 90-page work delves into how the social sciences have historically approached this topic, detailing the evolution of theory and methodology over recent generations. The book examines the historical roots of cross-cultural inquiry and the empirical tools developed to analyze cross-cultural patterns statistically.
Readers will find a thorough investigation into how contemporary evolutionary social sciences address the influence of religious cognition, behavior, and beliefs on moral conduct. The text critically evaluates the tools and theories designed to explore the evolution of morality, society, and the gods, highlighting the significant impact of cultural history on our understanding of this relationship. Purzycki argues that, despite the considerable diversity in expression, the connection between religion and morality is a common thread found across various cultures worldwide.
Official synopsis Publisher
The relationship between religion and morality has been a steadfast topic of inquiry since the dawn of the social sciences. This Element probes how the social sciences have addressed this relationship by detailing how theory and method have evolved over the past few generations. Sections 1 and 2 examine the historical roots of cross-cultural inquiry and Section 3 addresses the empirical tools developed to address cross-cultural patterns statistically. Sections 4-6 address how the contemporary evolutionary social sciences have been addressing the role religious cognition, behaviour, and beliefs play on moral conduct. By critically examining the tools and theories specifically developed to answer questions about the evolution of morality, society, and the gods, this Element shows that much of our current knowledge about this relationship has been significantly shaped by our cultural history as a field. It argues that the relationship between religion and morality is, despite considerable diversity in form, quite common around the world.
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