Explanatory Co-Existence Special Topic Issue: Human Development 2011

Traditionally, science and religion have often been viewed in competition, with the belief that rational, scientific thought wins out in the end. The authors of this volume provide compelling arguments that suggest that this replacement model does not hold up. Rather, recent psychological research suggests that forms of reasoning, even forms believed to be in conflict, such as supernatural and scientific thought, often coexist in the minds of both children and adults. The focus of this issue is on exploring how and when individuals endorse beliefs that might be construed as stemming from a number of highly different and potentially conflicting worldviews and it provides important new ways of characterizing cognitive development. The issue should be read by researchers interested in development and education. It is valuable reading for anthropologists and philosophers interested in the role of culture in cognition and the development of knowledge more generally. Educators may find this issue relevant for considering obstacles/barriers to teaching particular scientific concepts.