Freethought & Rationalism Archive

demoninho · 07-10-2003, 07:33 AM

Hi,

Apperently there is a special part in the brain for religion and feeling a "godlike" presence!

Anybody got an idea what the evolutionary benefits are of religion other than that people who didn't believe ended up burned at the stake

Have similar parts been found in other animals?

Is this part of the brain also involved in (schizofrenic) psychosis?

Rhaedas · 07-10-2003, 07:59 AM

I don't think this is exactly the direction you're wanting to go with this, but it does provide an evolutionary reason behind religious survival of the fittest (or the best to adapt).

The Christianity Meme

demoninho · 07-10-2003, 08:41 AM

Yeah, I already seen that site. It gives an explanation of the "software" christianity but not of the hardware, namely a special part of our brain defoted to religious feelings. There must be some reason for it to be there.

It had to give an advantage to our ancestors (or at least make'm breed like hell

)

Mageth · 07-10-2003, 08:45 AM

There must be some reason for it to be there.

Not necessarily. I can't remember what the phenomenon is called, but it may be a secondary result of some other evolved brain function.

RufusAtticus · 07-10-2003, 09:25 AM

I've seen people argue that "religiosity" is tied to feelings of euphoria which encourage people to work harder especially in a group.

KC · 07-10-2003, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mageth
There must be some reason for it to be there.

Not necessarily. I can't remember what the phenomenon is called, but it may be a secondary result of some other evolved brain function.

That would be a spandrel

KC

Warcraft3 · 07-10-2003, 10:18 AM

The book "Why God wont go away " might be of interest to you. I think the subtitle is "The brain science of belief".

You can also try Shermers book "Why people believe weird things"......I believe he goes into this area in his book also, but I could be mistaken. But I do remember it being in that book as well.

Russ

Godless Wonder · 07-10-2003, 10:27 AM

The last page before the epilogue of the book "The Red Queen: Sex and the evolution of human nature" by Matt Ridley (which I just happen to have read last weekend) talks about this a bit, although the author is only speculating.

The gist of the hypothesis as I (mis)remember it is that conforming to the group (believing what the group believes) is good for your survival and reproductive chances, esp. in a primitive tribal type environment.

I remember the exact page because I had had almost the esact same idea that religion had gotten wrapped around the evolutionary axle of sex and had gone sort of haywire, like the peacock's tail, the previous week.

Mageth · 07-10-2003, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KC
That would be a spandrel

KC

That's the one. Thanx!

Secular Pinoy · 07-10-2003, 05:15 PM

Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought by Pascal Boyer would be a good place to start.

Quote:

Book Description
Many of our questions about religion, says renowned anthropologist Pascal Boyer, are no longer mysteries. We are beginning to know how to answer questions such as "Why do people have religion?" Using findings from anthropology, cognitive science, linguistics, and evolutionary biology, Religion Explained shows how this aspect of human consciousness is increasingly admissible to coherent, naturalistic explanation. This brilliant and controversial book gives readers the first scientific explanation for what religious feeling is really about, what it consists of, and where it comes from.

07-10-2003, 07:33 AM	#1
demoninho Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 927	The Evolution of religion Hi, Apperently there is a special part in the brain for religion and feeling a "godlike" presence! Anybody got an idea what the evolutionary benefits are of religion other than that people who didn't believe ended up burned at the stake Have similar parts been found in other animals? Is this part of the brain also involved in (schizofrenic) psychosis?

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07-10-2003, 07:59 AM	#2
Rhaedas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3,440	I don't think this is exactly the direction you're wanting to go with this, but it does provide an evolutionary reason behind religious survival of the fittest (or the best to adapt). The Christianity Meme

07-10-2003, 08:41 AM	#3
demoninho Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 927	Yeah, I already seen that site. It gives an explanation of the "software" christianity but not of the hardware, namely a special part of our brain defoted to religious feelings. There must be some reason for it to be there. It had to give an advantage to our ancestors (or at least make'm breed like hell )

07-10-2003, 08:45 AM	#4
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	There must be some reason for it to be there. Not necessarily. I can't remember what the phenomenon is called, but it may be a secondary result of some other evolved brain function.

07-10-2003, 09:25 AM	#5
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	I've seen people argue that "religiosity" is tied to feelings of euphoria which encourage people to work harder especially in a group.

07-10-2003, 10:18 AM	#7
Warcraft3 Regular Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: US Posts: 288	The book "Why God wont go away " might be of interest to you. I think the subtitle is "The brain science of belief". You can also try Shermers book "Why people believe weird things"......I believe he goes into this area in his book also, but I could be mistaken. But I do remember it being in that book as well. Russ

07-10-2003, 10:27 AM	#8
Godless Wonder Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,197	The last page before the epilogue of the book "The Red Queen: Sex and the evolution of human nature" by Matt Ridley (which I just happen to have read last weekend) talks about this a bit, although the author is only speculating. The gist of the hypothesis as I (mis)remember it is that conforming to the group (believing what the group believes) is good for your survival and reproductive chances, esp. in a primitive tribal type environment. I remember the exact page because I had had almost the esact same idea that religion had gotten wrapped around the evolutionary axle of sex and had gone sort of haywire, like the peacock's tail, the previous week.

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