Describes the complexities of religion in human societies and how symbolism, rituals, and beliefs connect the human experience to the essential nature of the universe. Anthropologists – like Edward Tylor who proposed that religion evolved from stages of animism, to polytheism, and eventually to monotheism – explore how these different forms of religion came to be, how they change over time, and what influences modern and post-modern social forms have made on religious ways of life. Consider any three societies we have discussed over the course of the semester, from more primitive to highly-sophisticated. From your readings, answer the following:
How does population size, complexity of technology, and the political strategy or type of government effect the complexity and importance of religious concepts within that society? What does this kind of comparison tell us about evolutionary models of society?
