Pontificia Accademia delle Scienze

Symbols, Myths and Religious Sense in Humans Since the First

2021
Workshop
27-28 October

Symbols, Myths and Religious Sense in Humans Since the First

Symbols, Myths and Religious Sense in Humans Since the First
Illustration: Lorenzo Rumori
Conference Booklet and Final Statement in English and French (PDF)

Concept Note

This symposium aims to discuss the “neuronal” particularity of the human race (the genus Homo) which allowed it to reach a higher level of consciousness than the rest of the beings that preceded it; Man knows that he knows, and this reflection, in the proper sense of the word, immediately goes hand in hand with the need to take a step back from the “natural” world that surrounds him and believe in a “supernatural” world. The first Man and the first “Homo religiousus” are one and the same.

The symposium will be divided into four sessions, preceded by an introduction on the systematic and chronological position of the genus Homo and its genesis as we know them today.

The first session, on Archaeology, will examine the objects and signs collected from prehistoric sites, demonstrating the reality and antiquity of the distance taken by the gaze and thought of humans. This material testifies to the birth of the Symbol and of the Sacred. Panelists in this session will be scientists involved in the search for these signs, a search made less challenging by the appearance of the first graves and with the explosion of art, sculpted, painted and engraved.

The second session, on Ethnology, will focus on the diversity of the myths of contemporary populations, but also on their limits, a pale reflection of the wealth of beliefs that have flourished among the 100 billion humans who have populated the world since prehistoric times and during the 3 million years of their history. Anthropologists who have collected this information in the field and reflected on its meaning have been invited to talk in this second session. After examining the “People from before”, it seemed important to us to question the “People from here and elsewhere”, as time and space have been sources of great diversity.

The third session, on Biology, will look at the application to Man, a living being, of the knowledge of the evolutionary history of life and subsequent interpretation of the cognitive,

... Read all

Concept Note

This symposium aims to discuss the “neuronal” particularity of the human race (the genus Homo) which allowed it to reach a higher level of consciousness than the rest of the beings that preceded it; Man knows that he knows, and this reflection, in the proper sense of the word, immediately goes hand in hand with the need to take a step back from the “natural” world that surrounds him and believe in a “supernatural” world. The first Man and the first “Homo religiousus” are one and the same.

The symposium will be divided into four sessions, preceded by an introduction on the systematic and chronological position of the genus Homo and its genesis as we know them today.

The first session, on Archaeology, will examine the objects and signs collected from prehistoric sites, demonstrating the reality and antiquity of the distance taken by the gaze and thought of humans. This material testifies to the birth of the Symbol and of the Sacred. Panelists in this session will be scientists involved in the search for these signs, a search made less challenging by the appearance of the first graves and with the explosion of art, sculpted, painted and engraved.

The second session, on Ethnology, will focus on the diversity of the myths of contemporary populations, but also on their limits, a pale reflection of the wealth of beliefs that have flourished among the 100 billion humans who have populated the world since prehistoric times and during the 3 million years of their history. Anthropologists who have collected this information in the field and reflected on its meaning have been invited to talk in this second session. After examining the “People from before”, it seemed important to us to question the “People from here and elsewhere”, as time and space have been sources of great diversity.

The third session, on Biology, will look at the application to Man, a living being, of the knowledge of the evolutionary history of life and subsequent interpretation of the cognitive, technical, intellectual, spiritual, aesthetic and ethical aspects of the human race, what we call Hominisation... The invited speakers in this session are of course scientists, naturalists, anatomists and physiologists.

The intention of fourth session, on Philosophy, is to define the meaning of ‘religious sense’ and what it represents and entails. The theologians gathered for the symposium will propose, on the basis of the conclusions of the first three sessions, a primarily rational definition of this characteristic of Man, as well as a spiritual conviction of his sense for religion. The final conclusions will come from them.

 

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Note conceptuelle – Symboles, Mythes et Sens religieux chez les Humains depuis les premiers

Ce Colloque se propose de débattre de cette particularité « neuronale » du genre humain (genre Homo) qui va lui permettre d’atteindre un niveau de conscience plus élevé que celui de tous les êtres qui l’ont précédé ; l’Homme sait qu’il sait, et cette réflexion, au sens propre du mot, s’accompagnera tout-de-suite de la nécessité de prendre du recul par rapport au « naturel » qui l’entoure et de croire en un « surnaturel ». Le premier Homme et le premier « Homo religiosus », c’est le même Homme.

Le plan proposé pour cet échange se divisera en 4 parties, précédées par une introduction sur la position systématique et chronologique du genre Homo et sur sa genèse telles qu’on les connait aujourd’hui.

La première partie sera archéologique ; elle recensera les objets et signes recueillis sur les sites préhistoriques, démontrant la réalité et l’ancienneté de cette distance prise par le regard et la pensée des Humains. Ce sont les témoins de la naissance du symbole, de celle du Sacré. Nous avons souhaité inviter, pour ce discours, des scientifiques s’occupant de la recherche de ces signes, ténus d’abord, puis évidemment plus explicites quand apparaissent, par exemple, les sépultures ou quand explose l’Art, sculpté, peint ou gravé.

La deuxième partie, ethnologique, voudrait attirer l’attention sur la diversité des mythes de populations contemporaines, mais aussi de ses limites, pale reflet de la richesse des croyances qui ont pu fleurir chez les 100 milliards d’humains qui ont peuplé le monde depuis les premiers et durant les 3 millions d’années de leur histoire. Ont alors été invités des Anthropologues qui ont recueilli ces informations sur le terrain et réfléchi à leur signification. Après l’examen des « Gens d’avant », il nous a ainsi semblé important d’interroger les « Gens d’ici et d’ailleurs », le temps et l’espace ayant été sources de diversité.

La troisième partie, biologique, se penchera sur l’application à l’Homme, être vivant, de la connaissance de l’histoire évolutive de la Vie et de l’interprétation consécutive des spécificités cognitives, techniques, intellectuelles, spirituelles, esthétiques, éthiques, du genre humain, ce que l’on nomme l’Hominisation...Les invités de cette partie sont bien sûr des Scientifiques, Naturalistes, Anatomistes, Physiologistes...

La quatrième partie, philosophique, devrait pouvoir circonscrire ce que l’on entend par sens religieux, ce qu’il représente et ce qu’il entraine. Quelques théologiens seront ici réunis pour proposer, à partir des conclusions des trois premières parties, une définition d’abord rationnelle de ce propre de l’Homme, mais aussi une conviction spirituelle du sens religieux. La conclusion finale ès-qualité leur reviendra.

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