J. Anderson Thomson on Perceived Agency
“Humans are strongly biased to interpret unclear evidence as being caused consciously by an agent, almost always a humanlike agent. This cognitive ability to attribute agency to abstract sights or sounds may have helped our distant ancestors survive, allowing them to detect and evade enemies. It kept them alert, attentive toward possible danger. Better to jump at shadows than risk something or someone jumping at you.
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This ability was adaptive, so therefore it is natural for us to assume the presence of unseen beings and to believe that such beings can influence our lives. It is equally natual to assume that such a being, if asked, can alter or affect what happens to us. Asking easily becomes praying…As social beings with these adaptations, we are now set up for belief in a divine attachment figure. We can attribute agency to it, transfer some of our early-life emotions to it, and as a result can believe that such a being desires to interact with us.”
-From Why We Believe in Gods: A Concise Guide to the Science of Faith.
A full review of this great book can be found here.
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Florida Student Philosophy Blog
- University of North Florida Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Facebook page March 18, 2013For those interested, the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of North Florida now has a Facebook page. Here it is. Like the page, and you can keep up to date with the events, activities, and accomplishments related to the department.Jon
- 16th Annual Northeast Florida Student Philosophy Conference Schedule February 21, 2013Here is the conference schedule for the upcoming Northeast Florida Student Philosophy Conference. The conference will be held at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville. Meetings will be held in building 39, room 1009. Everyone is welcome to attend. 9:00 – 9:10 Opening Remarks – Bert Koegler (North Florida) 9:10 – 10:25 […] […]Jon
Flickers of Freedom
- On the Horizon at Brains May 21, 2013 Thomas Nadelhoffer
- The "rational man" influence on free will beliefs May 18, 2013 Bruce Waller
Nick Byrd’s Blog
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Mind Hacks
- Did the eyes really stare down bicycle crime in Newcastle? May 16, 2013This is the first fortnightly column I’ll be writing for The Conversation, a creative commons news and opinion website that launched today. The site has been set up by a number of UK universities and bodies such as the Wellcome Trust, Nuffield Foundation and HEFCE, following the successful model of the Australian version of the […]tomstafford
- A world of swearing May 15, 2013The Boston Globe has a short but fascinating interview on the history of swearing where author Melissa Mohr describes how the meaning of the act of swearing has changed over time. IDEAS: Are there other old curses that 21st-century people would be surprised to hear about? MOHR: Because [bad words] were mostly religious in the […]vaughanbell
More good stuff to look forward to (your review). I am sensing a pattern in your recent reading. Is it for coursework, writing sample stuff, or just for leisure?
Just for leisure/an outlet against the tide of evangelical ridiculousness that is developing on the U.S. political scene.
I used to have a fairly politically correct approach to religious conservativism but with events like Westboro protests and Perry literally holding a rally to pray for rain in Texas, I decided it was time to begin addressing these types of unfounded and poorly reasoned claims.