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Name:
Mircea Eliade
Dates:
Born: March 9, 1907 in Bucharest, Romania
Died: April 22, 1986 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Specialization:
Philosophy of Religion
Major Works:
Patterns of Comparative Religion (1949)
The Myth of the Eternal Return (1949)
Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (1951)
Biography:
Mircea Eliade, usually associated with the "Chicago School" of religious
studies, was a Romanian-born scholar whose work has become influential in the academic
study of religion.
For Eliade, the study of religion necessarily involved the study of homo religiosus, man as a religious being. Indeed, this should be an integral part of all study of human culture and human history because wherever we go in space and time, we find that religion encompasses a significant portion of any culture's output and expression. Understanding a culture's religious beliefs is not simply a matter of learning interesting facts, but rather a matter of realizing how people in that culture come to deal with their situation in society, their place in the universe, and their interaction with other humans.
According to Eliade, religion cannot be studied or understood through reductionist methodologies in psychology or sociology - instead, it can only be understood on its own terms. Religion is sui generis - is self-generating rather than simply a by-product of other cultural elements.
Eliade also argued that the one thing which unites all religions and which differentiates religions from other human beliefs or pursuits is some irreducible element of the "sacred" in human experience. Here he coined the term "hierophany" to refer to that characteristic of objects or actions which manifest the sacred rather than the profane.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
Biographies of Philosophers
This index of biographical index of famous philosophers throughout history includes many others who have contributed to our understanding of human nature and life - including sociologists, psychologists, scientists, and more.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
