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.
Soul Beliefs: Causes and Consequences - Unit 1: Historical Foundations
Instructors: Prof. Daniel M. Ogilvie
53,314 already enrolled
Course
(395 reviews)
Details to know
Add to your LinkedIn profile
0 quizzes, 4 assessments
Course
(395 reviews)
There are 11 modules in this course
What's included
1 video2 readings
What's included
3 videos
What's included
2 videos2 readings
What's included
3 videos1 reading
What's included
3 videos1 reading
What's included
3 videos
What's included
1 video
What's included
4 videos1 reading
What's included
3 videos1 reading
What's included
3 videos1 reading
What's included
3 videos1 reading
Instructors
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
Why people choose Coursera for their career
Learner reviews
Showing 3 of 395
395 reviews
- 5 stars
71.64%
- 4 stars
17.72%
- 3 stars
4.30%
- 2 stars
2.27%
- 1 star
4.05%
Recommended if you're interested in Social Sciences
Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
