Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods: Early Humans And The Origins Of Religion
by E. Fuller Torrey /
2017 / English / PDF, EPUB
8.6 MB Download
Religions and mythologies from around the world teach that God or
gods created humans. Atheist, humanist, and materialist critics,
meanwhile, have attempted to turn theology on its head, claiming
that religion is a human invention. In this book, E. Fuller Torrey
draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to propose a startling
answer to the ultimate question.
Religions and mythologies from around the world teach that God or
gods created humans. Atheist, humanist, and materialist critics,
meanwhile, have attempted to turn theology on its head, claiming
that religion is a human invention. In this book, E. Fuller Torrey
draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to propose a startling
answer to the ultimate question.Evolving Brains, Emerging
Gods
Evolving Brains, Emerging
Gods locates the origin of gods within the human brain, arguing
that religious belief is a by-product of evolution.
locates the origin of gods within the human brain, arguing
that religious belief is a by-product of evolution.
Based on an idea originally proposed by Charles Darwin, Torrey
marshals evidence that the emergence of gods was an incidental
consequence of several evolutionary factors. Using data ranging
from ancient skulls and artifacts to brain imaging, primatology,
and child development studies, this book traces how new cognitive
abilities gave rise to new behaviors. For instance,
autobiographical memory, the ability to project ourselves backward
and forward in time, gave
Based on an idea originally proposed by Charles Darwin, Torrey
marshals evidence that the emergence of gods was an incidental
consequence of several evolutionary factors. Using data ranging
from ancient skulls and artifacts to brain imaging, primatology,
and child development studies, this book traces how new cognitive
abilities gave rise to new behaviors. For instance,
autobiographical memory, the ability to project ourselves backward
and forward in time, gaveHomo sapiens
Homo sapiens a competitive
advantage. However, it also led to comprehension of mortality,
spurring belief in an alternative to death. Torrey details the
neurobiological sequence that explains why the gods appeared when
they did, connecting archaeological findings including clothing,
art, farming, and urbanization to cognitive developments. This book
does not dismiss belief but rather presents religious belief as an
inevitable outcome of brain evolution. Providing clear and
accessible explanations of evolutionary neuroscience,
a competitive
advantage. However, it also led to comprehension of mortality,
spurring belief in an alternative to death. Torrey details the
neurobiological sequence that explains why the gods appeared when
they did, connecting archaeological findings including clothing,
art, farming, and urbanization to cognitive developments. This book
does not dismiss belief but rather presents religious belief as an
inevitable outcome of brain evolution. Providing clear and
accessible explanations of evolutionary neuroscience,Evolving
Brains, Emerging Gods
Evolving
Brains, Emerging Gods will shed new light on the mechanics of
our deepest mysteries.
will shed new light on the mechanics of
our deepest mysteries.