Religion and Neuroscience

Good article, thanks.

As neuroscientists unpick the biological mechanisms behind religious experience, others are considering what to do with the information. At Laurentian University, Todd Murphy and Michael Persinger are developing devices they think can stimulate parts of the brain to enhance spiritual experiences. Others see the possibility for drugs designed to boost spirituality.
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Amazing!
 
Could be. Their respective takes on religion and/or spirituality didn't overcome their absolute power corrupts absolutely tendency.

Would you argue that spirituality in any sense was at the core of their actions?
 
hammegk said:
Could be. Their respective takes on religion and/or spirituality didn't overcome their absolute power corrupts absolutely tendency.

Would you argue that spirituality in any sense was at the core of their actions?
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Hitler invoked the card of religion quite often throughout some of his writings - perhaps his actions is motivated by spirituality in the same sense that W's actions are motivated by spirituality?
 
SherryA said:
I found this great article I'd like to share on the subject of religion and neuroscience in the UK's The Guardian.

It begins:
"Religion may be a survival mechanism. So are we born to believe?" I've seen similar writings addressing this view, but none as compelling as this one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,13026,1423450,00.html

Sherry Austin.
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I've heard of these "god modules" in the brain for quite some time now, I think it is a little spurious to conclude that humans have evolved to be religious.

From what I've read elsewhere, humans are highly anthromorphic and readily form associations (even if the associations arent fully comprehendable). Most people had stuffed animal when they were very young, and for a while the stuffed animal seemed fully alive - or sometimes children create anthromorphic explanations for the weather (i.e. it rains when the angels are crying, or a crescent moon looks like a fingernail), etc.

Its really nothing special, its only humans going through their anthromorphic stage, and eventually the stage is grown out of. However, with organized religion, some anthromorphic ideas are reinforced over and over, which (for a lack of better words) "imprints" itself in the character of a person.

I found the Guardian article to be very interesting, but it seems to me that spirituality isnt something people are born with or anything that has evolved, but probably something that is learned.
 
Well there is another threory that suggests that it was a left over, from the time that everyone had to obey the head-ape.
 
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