'God from the machine' (deus ex machina) refers to an ancient dramatic
device where a god was mechanically brought onto the stage to save the
hero from a difficult situation. But here, William Sims Bainbridge
uses the term in a strikingly different way. Instead of looking to a
machine to deliver an already known god, he asks what a computing
machine and its simulations might teach us about how religion and
religious beliefs come to being. Bainbridge posits the virtual town of
Cyburg, population 44,100. Then, using rules for individual and social
behavior taken from the social sciences, he models a complex community
where residents form groups, learn to trust or distrust each other,
and develop religious faith. Bainbridge's straightforward arguments
point to many more applications of computer simulation in the study of
religion. God from the Machine will serve as an important text in any
class with a social scientific approach to religion.
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780759114357
Publisert
2015
Utgiver
Vendor
AltaMira Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter