Another question for science.

Tomatoman

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Can science explain the persistant worldwide belief in the supernatural by civilizations both modern and primitive, in spite of their best efforts of 'educating' these beliefs away?

Yes. It's the way our brains have evolved. That is why even the most dyed in the wool atheist among us can find himself or herself thinking in a semi superstitious or religious way, for example when otherwise quite rational people start babbling vaguely about concepts of karma, or after a close relative has died we interpret little things as signs that the deceased is sending us a message saying they're ok. We can't help it, it's the way our brains have evolved.

This is all explained quite simply (I thought) in a recently published book by Jesse Bering which covers everything from the development of what the author calls 'the theory of mind' in children, i.e. the ability to discern other individuals as thinking beings like ourselves (which is the reason we unconsciously attribute minds to inanimate objects and forces and situations we can't control, which ultimately explains what happens in paranoia - it is our theory of mind gone haywire - and autism - an under-developed sense of theory of mind) to superstition to conscience (which is basically a fear of someone seeing us in the act and telling other people about it) and morals to our sense of immortality and more, all explained from an evolutionary psychological viewpoint.

Official Website of Dr. Jesse Bering - 'The God Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life,' now available in the UK - Dr. Jesse Bering, psychology, God, theology, atheism, The God Instinct


I have to say I've never read a book that so conclusively describes why the development of language and the fear of damaging gossip, together with the theory of mind predisposes us to religion. You'll have to read it yourself to find out why it is so conclusive, but in my opinion it dismantles religious belief from the inside, and once you've seen the reasons those beliefs evolved with our minds it is very easy to see how religion came to be. It all becomes rather obvious.

So to answer your question: yes.

And we'll never completely rid ourselves of those beliefs, even those of us who can rationally remove god from our worldview will still find ourselves thinking thoughts we know have no basis in reality. It doesn't matter. It's the way we are.
 
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Chesterton

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And we'll never completely rid ourselves of those beliefs, even those of us who can rationally remove god from our worldview will still find ourselves thinking thoughts we know have no basis in reality. It doesn't matter. It's the way we are.

Your post implies that atheists are mentally defective. Should the majority of us whose minds are evolutionarily correct treat you differently; should we euthanize you, or hospitalize you, and take you out to the zoo and buy you ice cream occasionally?
 
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sandwiches

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Your post implies that atheists are mentally defective. Should the majority of us whose minds are evolutionarily correct treat you differently; should we euthanize you, or hospitalize you, and take you out to the zoo and buy you ice cream occasionally?

Why is it that you feel it necessary to euthanize or hospitalize those with defective brains?
 
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OldWiseGuy

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Without reading those books I kinda know what's in them. So, a followup question. Wouldn't it be in the best interests of mankind if science could develop a medication or medical procedure that would eliminate these superstitious beliefs?
 
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LifeToTheFullest!

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Without reading those books I kinda know what's in them. So, a followup question. Wouldn't it be in the best interests of mankind if science could develop a medication or medical procedure that would eliminate these superstitious beliefs?
Yes. It's a form of 'medicine' known as education, the more you have, the less superstitious.
 
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OldWiseGuy

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Yes. It's a form of 'medicine' known as education, the more you have, the less superstitious.

That hasn't worked very well, as spirituality seems to grow with age. Would you support a government funded 'deprogramming' program to rid us of the (intellectual) scourge of Christianity and other similiar beliefs?
 
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OldWiseGuy

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Man learns by two methods; the scientific method, and revelation. Doesn't the believer, who also accepts much of science-based knowledge (I certainly do, with the exception of evolution), have a larger, and more balanced body of knowledge than does the unbeliever? Or does science believe that knowledge gained through revelation leads to an unbalanced mind?
 
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sandwiches

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Man learns by two methods; the scientific method, and revelation. Doesn't the believer, who also accepts much of science-based knowledge (I certainly do, with the exception of evolution), have a larger, and more balanced body of knowledge than does the unbeliever? Or does science believe that knowledge gained through revelation leads to an unbalanced mind?

We learn in many more ways than just those two. We learn through personal experience, from emulating, from mistakes, from stories, from cultural and social pressure, et cetera. And as interesting as revelation sounds, I've never had that despite my earnest wishes. So, I can't say I've learned much that way.

Now, having said all that, I think the best kind of education is one that can be verified and/or demonstrated but that's just my preference.
 
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Orogeny

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@ OWG:

Not if the knowledge gained through 'revelation' is demonstrably false or fictitious, as much of the bible is. For example, a man who is educated in science yet accepts the Noachian Flood as fact via revelation in the Bible is certainly less knowledgeable than a man of equal scientific education who accepts the vast evidence contradicting the Noachian flood.
 
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@ OWG:

Not if the knowledge gained through 'revelation' is demonstrably false or fictitious, as much of the bible is. For example, a man who is educated in science yet accepts the Noachian Flood as fact via revelation in the Bible is certainly less knowledgeable than a man of equal scientific education who accepts the vast evidence contradicting the Noachian flood.

This is a good point I didn't think about. Regardless of the form of learning, if the information you receive can be shown to be wrong, then why believe it?
 
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LifeToTheFullest!

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That hasn't worked very well, as spirituality seems to grow with age. Would you support a government funded 'deprogramming' program to rid us of the (intellectual) scourge of Christianity and other similiar beliefs?
Actually, non-belief is the fastest growing 'belief' in America. As for a government funded 'deprogramming,' I'm willing to try. We've already seen what theocracy does to humankind. It was called the Dark Ages in Europe, and is currently happening in the Arab world. Theocracies love to suppress knowledge and kill those who promote it.
 
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LifeToTheFullest!

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Man learns by two methods; the scientific method, and revelation. Doesn't the believer, who also accepts much of science-based knowledge (I certainly do, with the exception of evolution), have a larger, and more balanced body of knowledge than does the unbeliever? Or does science believe that knowledge gained through revelation leads to an unbalanced mind?
I've always wondered why god always chose the ignorant, meek, humble and illiterate to reveal his precepts to. :confused:
 
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AV1611VET

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That hasn't worked very well, as spirituality seems to grow with age. Would you support a government funded 'deprogramming' program to rid us of the (intellectual) scourge of Christianity and other similiar beliefs?
I like where you're going with this.

Perhaps they could call this program, The Final Solution?

All scientists would need would be a few Christians to be medically examined for a gene somewhere in our...

Oh, wait!
Wikipedia said:
The God gene hypothesis proposes that human beings inherit a set of genes that predisposes them towards spiritual or mystic experiences. The idea has been postulated by geneticist Dean Hamer, the director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, who has written a book on the subject titled, The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes.
Nevermind, they're already on our trail -- :eek:
 
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