Published: 2018-08-141

Religious Disenchantment of the World and the Rise of Science

Kamil M. Kaczmarek
Humanities and Natural Sciences
Section: Articles
https://doi.org/10.31648/hip.369

Abstract

This paper examines the importance of religious “disenchantment of the Word” in the rise of science in the western civilization. Two major meanings of the concept are analyzed, i.e. cognitive - present in the works of Max Weber - and axiological - assumed in Peter L. Berger’s theory of secularization. Both authors maintain that it was in the ancient Judaism where the disenchantment of the World for the first time took place. However, that was not that case when science was born. An important question arises: is disenchantment really a necessary condition to the rise of science? In fact, although there was axiological disenchantment of the world in Judaism, there was not any significant cognitive disenchantment. Contrary to the ancient Greece, where the process of the rise of science actually occurred. Walter F. Otto’s study on Homeric religion shows almost complete cognitive disenchantment but at the same time a powerful religious axiological enchantment of the worldview in ancient Greek religion. Both attitudes could effectively contribute to the establishment of scientific mode of thought.

Keywords:

Walter F. Otto, disenchantment of the world, Max Weber, Peter L. Berger, science, religion

Download files

Citation rules

Kaczmarek, K. M. (2018). Religious Disenchantment of the World and the Rise of Science. Humanities and Natural Sciences, (22), 57–74. https://doi.org/10.31648/hip.369

Cited by / Share

This website uses cookies for proper operation, in order to use the portal fully you must accept cookies.