Art performances and religious rituals: How transformative experiences can foster knowledge
Valerie van Mulukom, Armin W. Geertz, Robert W. Clark, Miguel Farias
October 7, 2021 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/7y6w8 via OpenAlex
Summary
Art and religion are parallel symbolic systems that transform subjective knowledge into shareable, memorable forms through material anchors like artifacts. These systems encapsulate emotions, experiences, and beliefs, with self-transcendent experiences enhancing their ability to convey rich meanings beyond descriptive language. Aligning with aesthetic cognitivism, art offers unique cognitive contributions. The power of both lies in imagination, and their role in preserving and disseminating subjective knowledge underscores meaning-making as central to shaping societies.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Art and religion function as symbolic systems that concretize and share subjective knowledge, with self-transcendent experiences amplifying their meaning beyond language. |
Abstract
In this chapter, we explore parallels between art and religion through culture and symbolic systems, drawing from past sociologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and current cognitive research. We argue that the creation of the arts and religion – as particularly important human cultural phenomena – allowed for subjective knowledge to become represented in symbols and artefacts, the latter serving as material anchors. This rendered the subjective knowledge concrete, memorable and importantly, shareable. Thus, art and religion are considered symbolic systems which express subjective understanding. These systems serve as repositories of meaning, encapsulating emotions, experiences, and beliefs in efficiently memorable forms. The self-transcendent nature of art and religious experiences enhances symbol significance, effectively conveying rich meanings that surpass descriptive language. Our ideas align with aesthetic cognitivism’s assertion that art offers unique cognitive contributions beyond decoration. The strength of art and possibly religion lies in their existence within imagination. The profound impact of symbolic systems on human experience and interaction - preserving and disseminating subjective knowledge beyond language's confines - underscores the centrality of meaning-making in shaping societies.