Belief in Belief in the the

SupernaturSupernatural as an al as an

AdaptationAdaptation

David ViitalaDavid Viitala

November 29, November 29, 20062006

Supernatural BeliefSupernatural Belief

Religion or spiritual beliefs are Religion or spiritual beliefs are found all over the world, in almost found all over the world, in almost every cultureevery culture

About 3/4 of the world’s population About 3/4 of the world’s population follows one of the following four:follows one of the following four:

1.1.Christianity (33%)Christianity (33%)2.2. Islam (21%)Islam (21%)3.3.Hinduism (14%)Hinduism (14%)4.4.Buddhism (6%)Buddhism (6%)

Supernatural BeliefSupernatural Belief

Supernatural experiences include:Supernatural experiences include: Religious experiencesReligious experiences Spiritual experiencesSpiritual experiences Near-death experiencesNear-death experiences Out-of-body / astral projectionOut-of-body / astral projection Feeling the presence of spiritsFeeling the presence of spirits Feeling possessed by spirits, demonsFeeling possessed by spirits, demons Auditory and visual hallucinationsAuditory and visual hallucinations and so onand so on

These experiences are found world-wideThese experiences are found world-wide

Beginnings of Beginnings of Supernatural BeliefSupernatural Belief

Early humans had been performing mortuary Early humans had been performing mortuary practices as long as 120 000 years agopractices as long as 120 000 years ago

Neanderthals and early humans placed the Neanderthals and early humans placed the deceased in a sleeping position, with objects deceased in a sleeping position, with objects surroundingsurrounding

This does not necessarily indicate a religious This does not necessarily indicate a religious belief, or the idea of having a godbelief, or the idea of having a god

However this does show an awareness of However this does show an awareness of death, perhaps what could come after death, death, perhaps what could come after death, as well as feelings of loss, love, and as well as feelings of loss, love, and mysticismmysticism

Beginnings of Beginnings of Supernatural BeliefSupernatural Belief

Thousands of years go by, and Thousands of years go by, and rituals become more diverse and rituals become more diverse and detaileddetailed

Beliefs represented in paintings, Beliefs represented in paintings, artifactsartifacts

Eventually organized religion Eventually organized religion emergesemerges

Some say…Some say…

Some say we believe in Some say we believe in

God, or a god, because God, or a god, because

there truly is a Godthere truly is a God There very well could be?There very well could be? The universe is very The universe is very

mystical!mystical!

However…However…

In terms of evolution, the belief in In terms of evolution, the belief in supernatural beings or worlds supernatural beings or worlds may have been an adaptive trait, may have been an adaptive trait, increasing the fitness of early increasing the fitness of early humanshumans

How?How?

Belief in supernatural Belief in supernatural as an adaptation as an adaptation

Early humans would have benefited from Early humans would have benefited from living in groupsliving in groups

Avoiding predatorsAvoiding predators Hunting and gatheringHunting and gathering Investments in kinInvestments in kin Sharing of resourcesSharing of resources

These groups would have been in These groups would have been in competition with other groups for resources competition with other groups for resources and habitats, thereby increasing the need for and habitats, thereby increasing the need for a strong, united groupa strong, united group

Cooperation and cohesion would have been Cooperation and cohesion would have been importantimportant

Belief in supernatural Belief in supernatural as an adaptationas an adaptation

Humans are self-interestedHumans are self-interested In a group of cooperators, a cheater In a group of cooperators, a cheater

could thrivecould thrive However, collective action and However, collective action and

cooperation can be increased if cooperation can be increased if there is a credible threat of there is a credible threat of punishmentpunishment

Cooperation has costs, but a threat Cooperation has costs, but a threat of punishment can have higher costsof punishment can have higher costs

Belief in supernatural Belief in supernatural as an adaptationas an adaptation

It would have became harder to It would have became harder to cheat with the arrival of two cheat with the arrival of two abilities:abilities:

Capacity to infer the contents of other Capacity to infer the contents of other mindsminds

LanguageLanguage

These new selection pressures These new selection pressures would have been entirely novelwould have been entirely novel

Much greater social transparencyMuch greater social transparency

Belief in supernatural Belief in supernatural as an adaptationas an adaptation

The belief in supernatural beings and a The belief in supernatural beings and a threat of punishment, either threat of punishment, either immediate or in the after-life, may immediate or in the after-life, may have increased unity and deterred have increased unity and deterred transgressiontransgression

A god could dictate what is good, and A god could dictate what is good, and what is badwhat is bad

Cooperation requires some level of Cooperation requires some level of moralitymorality

Some supportive Some supportive evidence…evidence…

Sosis (2000) found that cooperation is Sosis (2000) found that cooperation is higher among those who are more devouthigher among those who are more devout

Roes and Raymond (2003) found that there Roes and Raymond (2003) found that there is a modest but significant correlation is a modest but significant correlation between size of society and likelihood to be between size of society and likelihood to be characterized by a belief in moralizing godscharacterized by a belief in moralizing gods

Johnson (2005) found that in a sample of Johnson (2005) found that in a sample of 186 human societies, high gods are 186 human societies, high gods are significantly associated with larger societiessignificantly associated with larger societies

It could also be in It could also be in part…part…

It is important in nature for It is important in nature for organisms to find patterns and organisms to find patterns and develop expectanciesdevelop expectancies

It was perhaps a “natural consequence It was perhaps a “natural consequence of human brains fearful of invoking the of human brains fearful of invoking the calamities of nature upon themselves as calamities of nature upon themselves as a result of their actions”a result of their actions”

Belief in the supernatural could Belief in the supernatural could have been an effective coping have been an effective coping mechanismmechanism

Some argue…Some argue…

There are no brain regions There are no brain regions specifically for religious practicesspecifically for religious practices

No animal precursorsNo animal precursors Deficiency in religiosity does not Deficiency in religiosity does not

seem to impede ability to survive seem to impede ability to survive (at least in today’s world)(at least in today’s world)

No evidence that religiosity is No evidence that religiosity is heritableheritable

Biological basisBiological basis

The regions of the brain that have been linked The regions of the brain that have been linked to spiritual experiences when activated to spiritual experiences when activated include:include:

The amygdalaThe amygdala The hippocampusThe hippocampus The temporal lobeThe temporal lobe

These experiences can include:These experiences can include: trance-like states, astral projection, dreaming, near-trance-like states, astral projection, dreaming, near-

death experiences, and hallucinations of ghosts, death experiences, and hallucinations of ghosts, spirits, demons, angels, etc spirits, demons, angels, etc

As well as intense experiences involving sexuality, As well as intense experiences involving sexuality, fear, and ragefear, and rage

Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon have been Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon have been found to have well developed inferior found to have well developed inferior temporal lobes and limbic systems temporal lobes and limbic systems

Biological basisBiological basis

Particularly the right side of the brain Particularly the right side of the brain seems to be involved in dreaming and seems to be involved in dreaming and hallucinationshallucinations

The right temporal lobe is more active The right temporal lobe is more active during REM, and the left is more-so during REM, and the left is more-so during non-REM sleepduring non-REM sleep

LSD-induced hallucinations are more LSD-induced hallucinations are more greatly reduced with the damage of greatly reduced with the damage of the right temporal lobethe right temporal lobe

ConclusionsConclusions

Evolution… it’s complicatedEvolution… it’s complicated It is possible that the belief in It is possible that the belief in

supernatural agents would have supernatural agents would have been the result of a number of been the result of a number of selective pressuresselective pressures

Evolutionary theory explains why Evolutionary theory explains why religion is found everywherereligion is found everywhere

Thank YouThank You

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