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The Sociology of Religion

Max Weber

It is not possible to define religion, to say what it "is," at the start of a presentation such as this. Definition can be attempted, if at all, only at the conclusion of the study. The "essence" of religion is not even our concern, as we make it our task to study the conditions and effects of a particular type of social action. The external courses of religious behavior are so diverse that an understanding of this behavior can only be achieved from the viewpoint of the subjective experiences, notion, and purposes of the individuals concerned--in short, from the viewpoint of the religious behavior's "meaning."

(A.1.b) This-worldly Orientation

The most elementary forms of religiously or magically motivated action are oriented to this world. "That it may go well with you . . . And that you may prolong your days upon the earth" [1] shows the motivation of religiously or magically commanded actions. Even human sacrifices, although uncommon......

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Approximate Word Count: 21418
Approximate Pages: 86 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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