Genealogy of Religion

Exploring the Origins, History and Future of Religion

Entries Tagged as 'religion'

Religious Wars and Nationalism

July 18th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution, Economy, Evolutionary Adaptation, Evolutionary Byproduct, History, Power

Over at HuffPo Religion, Matt Rossano has written a thought provoking piece — which some may find surprising — on the relationship between war and religion.   In Why Religion Does Not Equal War, Rossano begins with the common knowledge that religious differences often lead to war, or that religious differences are often used to justify [...]

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Non-Religious Chimpanzees Cooperate and War for Territory

June 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution, Ecology, Economy, Evolution, Evolutionary Adaptation, Evolutionary Byproduct, History, Hunter-Gatherers, Neolithic, Power, Shamanism

There have been many articles over the past week reporting that an unusually large group (150 members) of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda has been engaging in systematic territorial expansion by attacking and killing neighboring groups.  The Nature article notes that this is “cooperative behavior” and then quotes from the New York Times story:
These [...]

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Deepak Chopra’s “Theory”: Consciousness as Godhead

June 26th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Cognition, Daily Devolutions, Definitions, Evolution, New Religions

Over at HuffPo Religion, Deepak Chopra opines on the non-existent “war between science and religion.”  Religion is of course being investigated by scientists and examined by historians, but this does not make the interrogation a war.  Religion is simply another object or category of positivist inquiry.
Chopra’s piece begins with some surprising concessions:
What is the war [...]

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Hitchens Soul-Hammers Prince Charles

June 17th, 2010 · No Comments · Atheism, Daily Devolutions, Emotions, Magic, Power, Ritual

Whether or not you like Christopher Hitchens, one thing is certain: he can turn an incisive phrase.  At his best, Hitchens writes with an acerbic aplomb that can be charming; at his worst, he is downright nasty.
With the latter Hitchens in mind, I have not yet been able to bring myself to read his jeremiad, [...]

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Appeasing Religionists and Cramping Science

May 23rd, 2010 · 1 Comment · Atheism, Classifications, Daily Devolutions, Definitions, History, Methodology

Over at HuffPo Religion, the evolutionary biologist Michael Zimmerman has posted an article titled “Religion and Science: Respecting the Differences.”  Zimmerman argues that science has its domain and boundaries and that religion has its domain and boundaries, and that science should stick to science and religion should stick to religion.
It all sounds measured and reasonable [...]

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