Review and Critique of George Santayana's View on the Nature and Function of Religion

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Islamic education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Litreature, University of Lorestan, Khorramabad. Iran

10.22059/jpht.2025.397430.1006129

Abstract

This study undertakes a critical examination of George Santayana’s conceptualization of religion, which frames it as a cultural and symbolic phenomenon primarily driven by aesthetic and psychological imperatives, analyzed via his doctrine of “Poetic Realism.” The primary objective is to evaluate the sufficiency of Santayana’s reductionist framework in accounting for the full spectrum of religion’s epistemic, metaphysical, and ethical dimensions. Employing a philosophical-analytical methodology, the research scrutinizes Santayana’s corpus and relevant secondary sources to determine the impact of reducing religious structures to mere myths and symbols on understanding their sui generis functions (rational, moral, and spiritual). The analysis demonstrates that while Santayana’s approach effectively elucidates the psychological consolation and aesthetic valence of religious experience, it systematically discounts religion’s inherent capacity for truth-seeking (alētheia), normative moral guidance, and genuine spiritual transcendence. Consequently, the study concludes that an adequate comprehension of religious life necessitates an integrative approach. Such an approach must incorporate the cultural, historical, epistemic, and ethical dimensions alongside the acknowledged aesthetic and psychological considerations to capture the full richness and significance of religious phenomena.

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References

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Philosophy of Religion
Volume 22, Issue 4
January 2026
Pages 275-286

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