Throughout history, the vast majority of people around the globe have believed they have, however defined, a “soul.” While the question of whether the soul exists cannot be answered by science, what we can study are the causes and consequences of various beliefs about the soul and its prospects of surviving the death of the body. Why are soul and afterlife beliefs so common in human history? Are there adaptive advantages to assuming souls exist? Are there brain structures that have been shaped by environmental pressures that provide the foundation of body/mind dualism that is such a prominent feature of many religions? How do these beliefs shape the worldviews of different cultures and our collective lives? What is the role of competing afterlife beliefs in religion, science, politics, and war? This course explores several facets of this relatively unexplored but profoundly important aspect of human thought and behavior.
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Soul Beliefs: Causes and Consequences - Unit 1: Historical Foundations
Rutgers the State University of New JerseyAbout this Course
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Coursera Labs
Includes hands on learning projects.
Learn more about Coursera Labs Approx. 19 hours to complete
English
Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?
Try Coursera for BusinessFlexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Coursera Labs
Includes hands on learning projects.
Learn more about Coursera Labs Approx. 19 hours to complete
English
Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?
Try Coursera for BusinessSyllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Introduction to the Course
1 hour to complete
1 video (Total 24 min), 2 readings
1 hour to complete
What I was Told to Believe
1 hour to complete
3 videos (Total 79 min)
1 hour to complete
Historical Foundations of Soul Beliefs #1
1 hour to complete
2 videos (Total 34 min), 2 readings
2 hours to complete
Historical Foundations of Soul Beliefs #2
2 hours to complete
3 videos (Total 65 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
Reviews
- 5 stars71.64%
- 4 stars17.72%
- 3 stars4.30%
- 2 stars2.27%
- 1 star4.05%
TOP REVIEWS FROM SOUL BELIEFS: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - UNIT 1: HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
by LKSep 10, 2015
The most interesting class I've ever taken. The material covers everything from psychology to sociology and then adds more.
by ENOct 1, 2017
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by ABMay 27, 2017
He's talky...but it's an entertaining flow :) and you actually learn a lot. You can tell both of them enjoy teaching this MOOC.
by CDFeb 8, 2016
I found it really amazing... i wish i could have been present in the classroom :)
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