SOC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 58: Aboriginal Australians, Protestant Work Ethic, Ludwig Feuerbach

• School: University of Alabama
• Department: SOC
• Course: SOC 101
• Professor: Chenoia Bryant

Document Summary

The ideas of three early sociological theorists continue to strongly influence the sociology of religion: durkheim, weber, and marx. Even though none of these three men was particularly religious, the power that religion holds over people and societies interested them all. They believed that religion is essentially an illusion; because culture and location influence religion to such a degree, the idea that religion presents a fundamental truth of existence seemed rather improbable to them. They also speculated that, in time, the appeal and influence of religion on the modern mind would lessen. Emile durkheim, the founder of functionalism, spent much of his academic career studying religions, especially those of small societies. Australian aborigines as an elementary form of religion, primarily interested him. This research formed the basis of durkheim"s 1921 book, the elementary forms of the religious religion within the context of the entire society and acknowledged its place in influencing the thinking and behavior of the members of society.