Has evolution wired us for sin?

Frank Robert

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The Neuroscience of the Seven Deadly Sins -

Brain researchers are finding the sources of our nastiest temptations.
Why does being bad feel so good?
The most enjoyable sins engage the brain’s reward circuitry, including evolutionarily ancient regions such as the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus; located deep in the brain, they provide us such fundamental feelings as pain, pleasure, reward, and punishment. More disagreeable forms of sin such as wrath and envy enlist the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. This area, buried in the front of the brain, is often called the brain’s conflict detector, coming online when you are confronted with contradictory information or even simply when you feel pain. The more social sins (pride, envy, lust, wrath) recruit the medial prefrontal cortex. Found just behind the forehead, this region helps shape the awareness of self.
It might be too strong to claim that evolution has wired us for sin, but excessive indulgence in lust or greed could certainly put you ahead of your competitors. “Many of these sins you could think of as virtues taken to the extreme,” says Adam Safron, a research consultant at Northwestern University whose neuroimaging studies focus on sexual behavior. “From the perspective of natural selection, you want the organism to eat, to procreate, so you make them rewarding. But there’s a potential for that process to go beyond the bounds.”

 
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SeventhFisherofMen

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The Neuroscience of the Seven Deadly Sins -

Brain researchers are finding the sources of our nastiest temptations.
Why does being bad feel so good?
The most enjoyable sins engage the brain’s reward circuitry, including evolutionarily ancient regions such as the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus; located deep in the brain, they provide us such fundamental feelings as pain, pleasure, reward, and punishment. More disagreeable forms of sin such as wrath and envy enlist the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. This area, buried in the front of the brain, is often called the brain’s conflict detector, coming online when you are confronted with contradictory information or even simply when you feel pain. The more social sins (pride, envy, lust, wrath) recruit the medial prefrontal cortex. Found just behind the forehead, this region helps shape the awareness of self.
It might be too strong to claim that evolution has wired us for sin, but excessive indulgence in lust or greed could certainly put you ahead of your competitors. “Many of these sins you could think of as virtues taken to the extreme,” says Adam Safron, a research consultant at Northwestern University whose neuroimaging studies focus on sexual behavior. “From the perspective of natural selection, you want the organism to eat, to procreate, so you make them rewarding. But there’s a potential for that process to go beyond the bounds.”

i'd say the choice of sin after God created humans is what wired us for sin
 
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2PhiloVoid

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The Neuroscience of the Seven Deadly Sins -

Brain researchers are finding the sources of our nastiest temptations.
Why does being bad feel so good?
The most enjoyable sins engage the brain’s reward circuitry, including evolutionarily ancient regions such as the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus; located deep in the brain, they provide us such fundamental feelings as pain, pleasure, reward, and punishment. More disagreeable forms of sin such as wrath and envy enlist the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. This area, buried in the front of the brain, is often called the brain’s conflict detector, coming online when you are confronted with contradictory information or even simply when you feel pain. The more social sins (pride, envy, lust, wrath) recruit the medial prefrontal cortex. Found just behind the forehead, this region helps shape the awareness of self.
It might be too strong to claim that evolution has wired us for sin, but excessive indulgence in lust or greed could certainly put you ahead of your competitors. “Many of these sins you could think of as virtues taken to the extreme,” says Adam Safron, a research consultant at Northwestern University whose neuroimaging studies focus on sexual behavior. “From the perspective of natural selection, you want the organism to eat, to procreate, so you make them rewarding. But there’s a potential for that process to go beyond the bounds.”


Ok. Cool. I'll just add this to my other source by Simon M. Laham.

Thanks!
 
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2PhiloVoid

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Science relys on evidence, religion not so much.

I think it's safe to say that Christianity does utilize evidence even if it also requires the use of other human capacities by which to understand belief in God and Jesus; the problem is that the choice of evidence(s) used aren't the ones that most people go in for these days.

As for the concept of "sin," I think there's also evidence that "it" can be cited as being the manifestation of human dysfunction of those natural proclivities which God and/or Nature has given us.
 
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Frank Robert

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Science has evidence that "sin", as
conceived by Christians, actually exists?
I get your point that sin is the concept of an offense against God but I was viewing the 7 sins as irrational thoughts that can influence our emotions.

The article does not make a strong case that the proclivity for sin evolved but it is suggestive. Others have suggested that our desires and needs as in Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" likely evolved.

I came across the article while researching cognitive distortions and had a thought that such distortions could underlie the "deadly sins" I found some associations but again not enough to make a strong case.

 
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Frank Robert

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Correction, science relies on interpreting evidence through the bias of the scientist.
Of course, scientists have many years of study in a discipline with strict rules and definitions of with constitutes evidence which some would consider a bias. I think that the often used statement of "same evidence different interpretations" affirms that.
 
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Estrid

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I get your point that sin is the concept of an offense against God but I was viewing the 7 sins as irrational thoughts that can influence our emotions.

The article does not make a strong case that the proclivity for sin evolved but it is suggestive. Others have suggested that our desires and needs as in Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" likely evolved.

I came across the article while researching cognitive distortions and had a thought that such distortions could underlie the "deadly sins" I found some associations but again not enough to make a strong case.

The " 7 sins" are all about going to excess
in thing that are innate to existence.

OCD is about going to a harmful excess.

" Hypertrophy of valencies" as your psychologists
would put it.

The topic seems to me obvious and, withal
rather trivial.
 
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AV1611VET

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Science has evidence that "sin", as conceived by Christians, actually exists?
Science has to recognize what "sin, as conceived by Christians" actually is first.

But science has a problem with that:

Science can't see beyond their five senses, even when enhanced with instruments.

Even when science knows where to look and what to look for, they can't find what they assume they should find.

In short, science is myopic.
 
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2PhiloVoid

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Science has to recognize what "sin, as conceived by Christians" actually is first.

But science has a problem with that:

Science can't see beyond their five senses, even when enhanced with instruments.

Even when science knows where to look and what to look for, they can't find what they assume they should find.

In short, science is myopic.

Scientific praxis also isn't constructed to handle spiritual matters. So, it kind of goes without saying, AV.
 
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Estrid

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Of course, scientists have many years of study in a discipline with strict rules and definitions of with constitutes evidence which some would consider a bias. I think that the often used statement of "same evidence different interpretations" affirms that.
In Christianity, a highest virtue is Faith.
Belief in that which cannot be " seen" nor
detected in any other way.
Belief despite no evidence. Belief in spite of
all evidence.

In research such bias is recognized as intellectual dishonesty, a disgrace. It is anti science.

A highest value, is to do ones utmost to be
objective.

That some benighted Christians play the
" same evidence, different conclusion" game
and make the grand canyon into flood proof
and "paluxy man tracks" into disproof of
ToE speaks only ill of them and their capacity
for intellectualtual honesty.
Fortunately, they lack the capacity to bring
discredit to all Christians, nor to the noble faith
that they so poorly represent.
 
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AV1611VET

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Of course, scientists have many years of study in a discipline with strict rules and definitions of with constitutes evidence ...
Yup -- they set the standards they will use for their "fox hunts."

It's like going out to find the Loch Ness Monster, and predetermining that anything they find should have scales on it.

So they motorboat right past the Lock Ness Monster, but don't pay any attention to it, because it doesn't have scales on it.

Then they return to shore and say the Lock Ness Monster is just a legend.
 
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AV1611VET

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In Christianity, a highest virtue is Faith.
Belief in that which cannot be " seen" nor detected in any other way.
Belief despite no evidence. Belief in spite of all evidence.

In research such bias is recognized as intellectual dishonesty, a disgrace. It is anti science.
Whodathunkit?

What we call "faith," science calls "intellectual dishonesty."

Science can go to Helsinki and drown.

Or better yet, science can repent and admit it's shortcomings before a holy God.
 
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Frank Robert

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The " 7 sins" are all about going to excess
in thing that are innate to existence.

OCD is about going to a harmful excess.

" Hypertrophy of valencies" as your psychologists
would put it.

The topic seems to me obvious and, withal
rather trivial.
What you say is true, but the article is not about OCD or hypertrophy it is about a hypothesis about evolution and what Christians label sin. I am interested in how cognitive distortions (distorted thinking) which are, more often than not, the culprit in both physical and mental illnesses relate to the deadly sins.
 
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