Breaking Dennett’s Spell: A Reflection on Daniel Dennett’s Naturalistic Study of Religion

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Philosophy. Faculty of Theology. University of Tehran

2 Department of Philosophy,. Faculty of Theology. University of Tehran

10.22061/orj.2025.12368.904

Abstract

Daniel Dennett, a prominent contemporary philosopher, has significantly influenced modern scholarship on religion through his naturalistic and evolutionary approach, particularly in his book Breaking the Spell. The present article offers a critical and systematic analysis of Dennett’s naturalistic study of religion. Using a descriptive-analytical method, the study precisely elucidates Dennett’s views on the evolutionary origins of religion, the mechanisms underlying its persistence, and his evaluation of religion’s benefits and harms. The findings suggest that Dennett’s emphasis on the necessity of a scientific investigation into religion and his focus on uncovering its cultural and psychological mechanisms are of considerable value. Nevertheless, his naturalistic approach faces substantial challenges, including his categorical denial of any transcendent origin of religion, his frequent conflation of the causes of religious inclination with the origins of religion itself, his generalizations regarding the consequences of religion without accounting for inter-religious differences, and his reductionist tendencies in explaining complex religious phenomena. This critical analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of the limitations and potentials of a naturalistic approach to the study of religion, paving the way for more constructive dialogue between scientific and theological perspectives, and aiding scholars in more nuanced evaluations of contemporary theories.

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Journal of Ontological Researches

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 December 2025

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