The Believing Primate : Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections on the Origin of Religion

Over the last two decades, scientific accounts of religion have received a great deal of scholarly and popular attention both because of their intrinsic interest and because they are widely seen as potentially constituting a threat to the religion they analyse. The Believing Primate aims to describe and discuss these scientific accounts as well as to assess their implications. The volume begins with essays by leading scientists in the field, describing these accounts and discussing evidence in their favour. Philosophical and theological reflections on these accounts follow, offered by leading philosophers, theologians, and scientists. This diverse group of scholars address some fascinating underlying questions: Do scientific accounts of religion undermine the justification of religious belief? Do such accounts show religion to be an accidental by-product of our evolutionary development? And, whilst we seem naturally disposed toward religion, would we fare better or worse without it? Bringing together dissenting perspectives, this provocative collection will serve to freshly illuminate ongoing debate on these perennial questions. Scientific Accounts Of Religion Have Received A Great Deal Of Scholarly And Popular Attention. This Book Draws On The Expertize Of Scientists, Philosophers, And Theologians, From Across A Wide Spectrum Of Debate, To Describe And Discuss Current Scientific Accounts. Hand Of God, Mind Of Man : Punishment And Cognition In The Evolution Of Cooperation / Dominic Johnson And Jesse Bering -- Religiosity As Mental Time-travel : Cognitive Adaptations For Religious Behavior / Joseph Bulbulia -- Cognitive Science, Religion, And Theology / Justin Barrett -- Is Religion Adaptive? Yes, No, Neutral, But Mostly We Don't Know / Peter J. Richerson And Lesley Newson -- Religious Belief As An Evolutionary Accident / Paul Bloom -- Explaining Belief In The Supernatural : Some Thoughts On Paul Bloom's Religious Belief As An Evolutionary Accident / Peter Van Imogen -- Games Scientists Play / Alvin Plantinga -- Scientific Explanations Of Religion And The Justification Of Religious Belief / Michael J. Murray -- Evolutionary Accounts Of Religion : Explaining And Explaining Away / Michael J. Murray And Andrew Goldberg -- Explaining Religious Experience / Charles Taliaferro -- Humanness In Their Hearts : Where Science And Religion Fuse / Del Ratzsch -- Theology And Evolution : How Much Can Biology Explain? / John Haught -- Cognitive Science And The Evolution Of Religion : Philosophical And Theological Appraisal / Nancey Murphy -- Moral Psychology And The Misunderstanding Of Religion / Jonathan Haidt -- Does Naturalism Warrant A Moral Belief In Universal Benevolence And Human Rights? / Christian Smith -- Evolutionary Social Constructivism : Narrowing (but Not Yet Bridging) The Gap / David Sloan Wilson. Edited By Jeffrey Schloss And Michael J. Murray. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [339]-362) And Index. Contents......Page 12 List of Contributors......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 1. Hand of God, Mind of Man: Punishment and Cognition in the Evolution of Cooperation......Page 41 2. Religiosity as Mental Time-travel: Cognitive Adaptations for Religious Behavior......Page 59 3. Cognitive Science, Religion, and Theology......Page 91 4. Is Religion Adaptive? Yes, No, Neutral. But Mostly We Don’t Know......Page 115 5. Religious Belief as an Evolutionary Accident......Page 133 6. Explaining Belief in the Supernatural: Some Thoughts on Paul Bloom’s ‘Religious Belief as an Evolutionary Accident’......Page 143 7. Games Scientists Play......Page 154 8. Scientific Explanations of Religion and the Justification of Religious Belief......Page 183 9. Evolutionary Accounts of Religion: Explaining and Explaining Away......Page 194 10. Explaining Religious Experience......Page 215 11. Humanness in their Hearts: Where Science and Religion Fuse......Page 230 12. Theology and Evolution: How Much Can Biology Explain?......Page 261 13. Cognitive Science and the Evolution of Religion: A Philosophical and Theological Appraisal......Page 280 14. Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion......Page 293 15. Does Naturalism Warrant a Moral Belief in Universal Benevolence and Human Rights?......Page 307 16. Evolutionary Social Constructivism: Narrowing (but Not Yet Bridging) the Gap......Page 333 Bibliography......Page 354 F......Page 378 R......Page 379 Y......Page 380 Scientific accounts of religion have received a great deal of scholarly and popular attention. The Believing Primate draws on the expertise of scientists, philosophers, and theologians, from across a wide spectrum of debate, to describe and discuss current scientific accounts. Scientific accounts of religion have received a great deal of scholarly and popular attention. This book draws on the expertise of scientists, philosophers, and theologians, from across a wide spectrum of debate, to describe and discuss current scientific accounts