Evolutionary Theories of Religion

[rainmac]

This way of putting it is a lot like speculating why a species has evolved the way it has.  In both cases no intention was involved.  Religion can be understood as having served certain functions just as the giraffe's neck serves some.  But the human no more chose to believe in gods any more than the giraffe chose to elongate its neck. 

 
Absolutely! I didn't mean humans intentionally chose these behaviors, which is what most of the other posters here suggest. Most responded to the existential mysteries part of this but few deal with the social cohesion part, perhaps because they don't buy the #2 answer. Maybe the consensus here is that social cohesion is not a reason for the advent of religion. I was hoping a few might have some thoughts on why the existing adaptations for social cohesion in other species are seemingly insufficient for humans that religious (ritual) behaviors evolved to increase fitness. What it suggests to me is that, for those who support the social cohesion function of religion, there is something more rudimentary or basic to explain the evolution of human religion, and social cohesion is a secondary effect.

Just as the giraffe is stuck with some biologically inefficient anatomy, so we seem to be stuck with god belief long after any direct need for it can be demonstrated.

I will say that for those of us imbued in evolutionary theory, it is not within our purview to claim that the giraffe neck is biologically inefficient any more than god belief is not necessary. While I'm not a believer, I can't second guess evolution, who is the final arbiter. Sorry for the anthropomorphism, but I don't know how to talk about evolution otherwise.