Is Atheism a Religion? On Socio-Anthropologic Cognitive Imperialism and Problems That Follow

Radosław Tyrała

doi:10.18778/1733-8069.13.1.06

Authors

Radosław Tyrała Akademia Górniczo Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica w Krakowie, Wydział Humanistyczny, ul. Gramatyka 8a, 30-071 Kraków

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.13.1.06

Keywords:

atheism, non-belief, definitions of religion, constructivism, ethics of scientific research

Abstract

The aim of the article is to show problems of a conceptual nature with defining non-religious people, as well as some ethical consequences of these problems. In the beginning I point to the frequent phenomenon of treating atheism as a kind of religion. I identify the sources of this phenomenon in a tendency among sociologists of religion to use inclusive and functional definitions of religion. From the point of view of the researcher of non-religion and non-religiousness it is a problem. Therefore, I call for using in this context definitions of religion suggested by researched actors themselves, which often have substantive character. In research practice it usually means using self-declaration as a definitional criterion of non-religion.

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Author Biography

Radosław Tyrała, Akademia Górniczo Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica w Krakowie, Wydział Humanistyczny, ul. Gramatyka 8a, 30-071 Kraków

Radosław Tyrała, PhD in sociology, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Humanities at AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków. His academic interests are focused on sociology of religion and non-religion, sociology of knowledge, sociology of social movements and sociology of medicine (currently he is working on the research project on anti-vaccination movement). The author (in Polish) of the following books: A Taxon Too Many: Race as a Debatable Category (Warszawa: Oficyna Naukowa, 2005), Opposite Poles of Evolutionism: Arms Race between Science and Religion (Kraków: NOMOS, 2007) and Everyday Life Without God. A Sociology of Atheism and Unbelief (Kraków: NOMOS. 2014). The last one was awarded by The Stanisław Ossowski Prize in 2014.

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