Trinity College Dublin

This course provides an overview of the basic approaches to the study of religion as a human phenomenon. As an introductory course it covers classical positions on religion; sociological, psychological, phenomenological, and anthropological approaches; and contemporary debates in the academic study of religion. On successful completion of this course, students are able to identify key approaches in the development of the academic study of religion; distinguish the methodologies of the disciplines investigating religion; characterize classical positions and their foundational concepts; relate theories to their historical, social, and philosophical context; and discuss the changing relationship of religion to society in different eras.

The course focuses on substantive criminal law: defining crimes, basic concepts in criminal law, the general principles of criminal liability, different defenses, and types of criminal offence. Students become familiar with the basic principles underlying the Irish system of criminal law and with the basic aspects of the criminal court process. Students are encouraged to think critically and analytically about the rules, judgments, and legislation that are studied during the course.

Case studies of patients with brain damage remain a critical part of cognitive neuropsychology's methods for understanding the organization of cognitive systems, and devising principled approaches to rehabilitation. In this topic, there is great scope for clinicians and researchers to inform and learn from one another with respect to the manifestation of clinical disorders, their potential causes, and paths to rehabilitation. While students are aware of famous patients with brain damage (e.g. Phineas Gage and patient H.M.), this course addresses lesser-known cases that have provided important insights into contemporary research problems across several domains including attention, memory, dysexecutive syndrome and disorders of meta-cognition, and social-cognitive processing.

The course examines the core phenomena of religious and spiritual belief and practice – faith, guilt and forgiveness, worship – through the lenses of different psychologies. Psychoanalysis, social, cognitive, behavioral, biological, evolutionary and positive psychology have all addressed these. Students explore their theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and the types of empirical data they have gathered. They also look at distinctive features of human culture that, while not specifically religious, are arguably fundamental to the experience of being human, such as art, fiction, and humor. Core to the course is consideration of multiple rationalities and the nature and status of different types and levels of knowledge – religious vs. scientific, psychological vs. sociological, evolutionary vs. humanistic – in understanding the human condition.