I've been thinking about evolution and natural selection, and how it relates to religion. One of the ideas bouncing around in my head is that people must have some inclination to buy into religion. The things that are believed are absurd. I myself bought into that nonsense for quite a while. The question is why? What is it about our makeup that prevents rational thought from taking over.
Perhaps some insight could be found in hypnosis? I'm not sure exactly how it works. The gist seems to be if you are willing, then it can happen. So the small action of being willing to be hypnotized, which can result in believing you are chasing an imaginary chicken around a stage.
I suspect an early tribe that was able to organize and be more 'ant-like' in their behavior would have an advantage of a tribe behaving as individuals? So the ability to allow others to control you via suggestion maybe rose up through natural selection?
I haven't really flushed out the thinking yet, obviously, but it seems like there is something to it. That a neutral decision (meaning it is not irrational/rational) can lead to irrational belief seems like it may be relevant somehow to understanding our nature.
Curious if anyone has any thoughts on this?
Perhaps some insight could be found in hypnosis? I'm not sure exactly how it works. The gist seems to be if you are willing, then it can happen. So the small action of being willing to be hypnotized, which can result in believing you are chasing an imaginary chicken around a stage.
I suspect an early tribe that was able to organize and be more 'ant-like' in their behavior would have an advantage of a tribe behaving as individuals? So the ability to allow others to control you via suggestion maybe rose up through natural selection?
I haven't really flushed out the thinking yet, obviously, but it seems like there is something to it. That a neutral decision (meaning it is not irrational/rational) can lead to irrational belief seems like it may be relevant somehow to understanding our nature.
Curious if anyone has any thoughts on this?
