Since most religious beliefs are homocentric, concerned with questions such as the purpose of humanity’s existence, the origin of human beings, and humanity’s place in the universe, many belief systems assign human attributes to the divine. Computer science studies and attempts to emulate the processes of the human brain in technology.

The modern science of robotics, which develops machines to carry out automated tasks or enhance human performance, employs anthropomorphism to engage human beings intellectually and emotionally with machines or computers. In technology and science, the behavior of machines and computers is sometimes described in terms of human behavior.

Early Hebrew monotheism scriptural representations of God are replete with human attributes, however, they lack comparable attributions of human vices.Īnthropomorphism is frequently used as a device in art, literature, and film to convey the author’s message through a symbolic animal or object with human qualities. In early polytheistic religions human qualities and emotions-including passions, lusts and petty willfulness-were readily identified with the divinities. Polytheistic and monotheistic faiths have apprehended the nature of divine being(s) in terms of humans characteristics. The term comes from two Greek words, άνθρωπος (anthrōpos), meaning 'human,' and μορφή (morphē), meaning 'shape' or 'form.' The suffix '-ism' originates from the morpheme '-isma' in the Greek language.Īnthropomorphism has significantly shaped religious thought. God, animals, the forces of nature, and unseen or unknown authors of chance are frequent subjects of anthropomorphosis. Michelangelo's painting of God in the Sistine Chapel is a well-known example of anthropomorphism in religion.Īnthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics and qualities to non-human beings, objects, natural, or supernatural phenomena.

Assigning human traits to animals