Atheists and hardcore skeptics struggle against evolution

Dachs · Sep 10, 2009

SS-18 ICBM said:
Daily Mail, huh?

This.

Snorrius said:
Just move to Russia.

I'd think that France or Italy would be a good place to go if bread's on the agenda. All you do with your grain in Russia is turn it into alcohol.

Neonanocyborgasm · Sep 10, 2009

Perhaps we atheists are emerging into a more advanced evolutionary form.

Nothing knew about this study. It's well known that children are prone to magical thinking but grow out of it.

Dachs · Sep 10, 2009

I feel like we've talked about something extremely similar to this before.

El_Machinae · Sep 10, 2009

I think latent religiosity is natural, and it has benefits. It does matter if it's perfectly rational. It's a bit like optimism, which is an emotional state. Optimism is not rational either, in most cases. However, as cognitive beings, we'd have a hell of a time thriving without optimism. Our cognitive abilities often allow us to override evolutionary urges, so mechanisms that countermand rationalism will be maintained in the population.

PeteAtoms · Sep 10, 2009

Just to reiterate a point, just because Atheists are somehow going against their evolved traits, it doesn't mean atheists are somehow unnatural or wrong in their paradigm. Traits change overtime and this one has obviously become obsolete, or is almost a vestigial trait.

So does is faith now part of our genes, or is it a meme, or both? Is atheism a meme?

warpus · Sep 10, 2009

from the article said:
Humans are programmed to believe in God because it gives them a better chance of survival, researchers claim.

A study into the way children's brains develop suggests that during the process of evolution those with religious tendencies began to benefit from their beliefs - possibly by working in groups to ensure the future of their community.

I don't find this too surprising - Religions arose fairly early in human history, probably for this reason.

Leonel · Sep 10, 2009

Is the Daily Mail a reputable news thingy?

Ecofarm · Sep 10, 2009

SS-18 ICBM said:
Daily Mail, huh?

I was just gonna say, let us notice the article source:

The Daily Fail

ParadigmShifter · Sep 10, 2009

leonel said:
Is the Daily Mail a reputable news thingy?

LOL NO!

It's a right wing comic.

Munch · Sep 10, 2009

leonel said:
Is the Daily Mail a reputable news thingy?

They were the ones who, back in the day, ran the headline "Hurrah for the Black Shirts".

Leonel · Sep 10, 2009

Munch said:
They were the ones who, back in the day, ran the headline "Hurrah for the Black Shirts".

What's wrong with black shirts? They slim me and match my black pants. Plus I can throw on a tan jacket for style.

Bill3000 · Sep 10, 2009

Gigaz said:
and the atheists have the chance to outbread them

Oh yes, we're master bakers.

ParadigmShifter · Sep 10, 2009

But a bit hypocritical when baking hot cross buns.

And I tried making an Easter cake, but it took 3 days to rise.

mrt144 · Sep 10, 2009

Snorrius said:
Nice news from scientists: Why we are born to believe in God: It's wired into the brain, says psychologist

Spoiler :

Humans are programmed to believe in God because it gives them a better chance of survival, researchers claim.

A study into the way children's brains develop suggests that during the process of evolution those with religious tendencies began to benefit from their beliefs - possibly by working in groups to ensure the future of their community.

The findings of Bruce Hood, professor of developmental psychology at Bristol University, suggest that magical and supernatural beliefs are hardwired into our brains from birth, and that religions are therefore tapping into a powerful psychological force.

His work is supported by other researchers who have found evidence linking religious feelings and experience to particular regions of the brain.

They suggest people are programmed to receive a feeling of spirituality from electrical activity in these areas.

The findings challenge atheists such as Richard Dawkins, the author of The God Delusion, who has long argued that religious beliefs result from poor education and childhood 'indoctrination'.

Professor Hood believes it is futile to try to get people to abandon their beliefs because these come from such a 'fundamental level'.

'Our research shows children have a natural, intuitive way of reasoning that leads them to all kinds of supernatural beliefs about how the world works,' he said.

'As they grow up they overlay these beliefs with more rational approaches but the tendency to illogical supernatural beliefs remains as religion.'

The professor, who will present his findings at the British Science Association's annual meeting this week, sees organised religion as just part of a spectrum of supernatural beliefs.

In one study he found even ardent atheists balked at the idea of accepting an organ transplant from a murderer, because of a superstitious belief that an individual's personality could be stored in his or her organs.

To reinforce his point, Professor Hood produced a blue cardigan during a lecture and invited the audience to put it on, for a £10 reward. This prompted a sea of raised hands to volunteer.

He then said that the notorious murderer Fred West wore the cardigan, causing most to put their hand down.

Although it was merely a stunt - the cardigan was not West's - the professor said this showed that even the most rational of people can be irrationally made to feel uncomfortable.

Another experiment involved asking subjects to cut up a treasured photograph. When his team then measured their sweat production - which is what lie-detector tests monitor - there was a jump in the reading. This did not occur when destroying an object of less sentimental significance.

'This shows how superstition is hardwired into our brains,' he added.

The Rev Michael Reiss, professor of science education at London University's Institute of Education and an Anglican priest, said he saw no reason why such research should undermine religious belief. 'We are evolved creatures and the whole point about humanity is that we are rooted in the natural world.'

So the irony is that atheist and hardcore skeptics struggle against evolution and lower their chances for survival!

Kinda funny coming from a Russian.

trader/warrior · Sep 10, 2009

Well its natural to think of people with different skin colour as weird and different(at first at least) , but you know we have started figuring out that what feels natural isn't necessarily correct.

Smidlee · Sep 10, 2009

This is old news. John Cleese has already covered this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M-vnmejwXo

Irish Caesar · Sep 10, 2009

SS-18 ICBM said:
Daily Mail, huh?

I think I've seen a similar article on CNN in the past, probably less than a year ago.

In any event, the brain being "hardwired" to believe in a higher power is not surprising.

Neomega · Sep 10, 2009

ParadigmShifter said:
And I tried making an Easter cake, but it took 3 days to rise.

Props if that's original.

Smidlee · Sep 10, 2009

Irish Caesar said:
I think I've seen a similar article on CNN in the past, probably less than a year ago.

In any event, the brain being "hardwired" to believe in a higher power is not surprising.

What about the brain being "hardwired" to believe the brain being "hardwired" to believe in a higher power?

Irish Caesar · Sep 10, 2009

I think we would have figured that out by now?

:crazyeye:

Atheists and hardcore skeptics struggle against evolution

Hero of the Soviet Union

Deity

Hero of the Soviet Union

Colour vision since 2018

FormulaRandom

Sommerswerd asked me to change this

Breakfast Connoisseur

Deity

Random Nonsense Generator

Benevolent Despot

Breakfast Connoisseur

OOOH NOOOOOOO!

Random Nonsense Generator

Deity

Deity

Deity

Yellow Jacket

Deity

Deity

Yellow Jacket

Similar threads