Re: The Spirituality of Chimps

Fair enough to be sceptical until you understand why it makes sense.

It is a big call.

However, as oxygen was always there and phlogiston wasn't wasn't there,
and just as the Earth was so obviously flat, so we should always be
prepared to challenge our deepest held assumptions - even if everyone
else shares them. Always remember those millions of flies, they keep
the frogs in business.

You are so used to religion being in this box and evolution being in
another, that you, perhaps, find it easier to ridicule the idea that
they may be in the same box, rather than to think your way out of your
box.

A testable hypothesis?

Or a null hypothesis? As Dunbar pointed out, religion is very costly -
it just has to have a selective impact.

The status centre hypothesis is eminently testable by brain scanning.
It should light up under social stress. I would further suggest that
clinical depression is in there too and occurs when an individual is
forced so far down, or even out of the hierarchy, that they feel unable
to control their lives any further. Clinical depression is part of the
mechanism that stops the game (as it is being lost) and so gives the
individual the chance of a new start somewhere else.

I would then stick my neck out, if it is a neck, and not a constriction
caused by a misplaced halo, and suggest that the part of the status
centre that lights up to the alpha will also light up for God i.e. when
a person believes they are in the presence of their God, or are engaged
in what they believe to be meaningful communication with their God.

Mark Thomas


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Spirituality of Chimps
    ... It does have a selective advantage - at the level of culture. ... clinical depression is in there too and occurs when an individual is ... I would then stick my neck out, if it is a neck, and not a constriction ... a person believes they are in the presence of their God, ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: The Spirituality of Chimps
    ... clinical depression is in there too and occurs when an individual is ... I would then stick my neck out, if it is a neck, and not a constriction ... a person believes they are in the presence of their God, ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: drummer in need of prayer
    ... Once it was diagnosed the prescription was a radical neck dissection. ... could hardly hang my left arm down, but using a trad grip with a serious ... tilt on the snare I could still play. ... It's been eleven years now and I thank God there have been no ...
    (rec.music.makers.percussion)
  • Re: drummer in need of prayer
    ... > Once it was diagnosed the prescription was a radical neck dissection. ... > could hardly hang my left arm down, but using a trad grip with a serious ... > tilt on the snare I could still play. ... Sometimes God just drop kicks you to the other end of the ...
    (rec.music.makers.percussion)
  • Re: lets play a D500 guessing game....
    ... Jesus - you are gonna whine all god damn night about the lack of lead changes in the Twins. ... Have you ever been diagnosed with OCD and clinical depression? ...
    (rec.autos.sport.nascar)