RS 100 Lecture 8: RS100 Lecture 8
Document Summary
Vico was not discovered by northern europeans until after a century after his death. Aspired to put human studies on a scientific bases as secure as the natural sciences had. Developed a new way extracting historical knowledge. Had 4 major thesis: religion is made by human beings. Its cause can be scientifically described (religion can be understood using science: religion is a necessary and universal part of historical, social, existence, religion evolves in an irreducible interactions among humans nature, language, and ideas. Said religion is at the bases of common institutions and laws of nature. Man can only understand facts: we can understand history and religion because they are our facts, we can understand myths because it is a creation of the human mind. We can"t understand the mind or nature because those are gods facts: we can only understand the parts of nature that we can make.
