What is the function of religion?

[Confused Ape]

You're right. Magic works ... see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo_death

Well, if the placebo effect works it's not surprising that the opposite effect exists. I was particular interested in Notable Cases.

Though cases within aboriginal societies are the most commonly cited when researchers such as Cannon set forth examples, similar cases of psychosomatic death have also been reported in other cultures.

In his 1964 article, James L. Mathis, MD, describes a case of a previously healthy man who died from asthmatic attacks when his mother "cursed" him for going against her wishes. Mathis proposes that "fatal psychosomatic conditions" were the cause of this man's death, and thus a form of voodoo death.[13]

Another scientist—Clifton K. Meador, MD—in 1992 discussed the case of a man diagnosed with cancer who, along with his physicians and family, believed he was dying of cancer. In the autopsy after his death, however, the doctors discovered that his cancer was not at all the cause of his death. Meador deduces that the man's belief in his imminent death was the cause of his death itself.[14]

The question here is, what is the relation of magic to religion, is it one of its functions or is it foreign to it?

Magic

Magic or sorcery is an attempt to understand, experience and influence the world using rituals, symbols, actions, gestures and language.[1][2][3][4]

Intellectualist Perspectives

The belief that one can influence supernatural powers, by prayer, sacrifice or invocation goes back to prehistoric religion and is present in early records such as the Egyptian pyramid texts and the Indian Vedas.[46]

Theories on the relationship of magic, science, art and religion

Magic and religion are categories of beliefs and systems of knowledge used within societies. While generally considered distinct categories in western cultures, the interactions, similarities, and differences have been central to the study of magic for many theorists in sociology and anthropology, including Frazer, Mauss, S. J. Tambiah, Malinowski, Michael Nevin and Isabelle Sarginson. From the intellectualist and functionalist perspectives, magic is often considered most analogous to science and technology.

Magic can be separate from religion - Ceremonial Magic. On the other hand, magic as in the belief that prayers etc might influence deities is definitely part of religion.

But Durkheim, who makes these same points, claims religion and magic are distinct. He thought religion is all about defining the difference between sacred/profane, and that is its real function. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Durkheim

Durkheim was trying to figure out the social aspects of religion. He was looking at what all religions have in common when it came to shaping societies. This meant having to disregard everything which religions don't have in common because followers of different religions believe different things.

I fully agree on all this. Tribalism. And religion is connected to it. Perhaps that's the way to build tribes larger than the "natural" unit of village, etc?
So, that would be adaptive. Many evolutionary psychologists hold this view; and they have also refound Durkheim.

What was useful to hunter gatherers and early civilisations isn't necessarily useful in our 21st century civilisations, though.

A fact: on this planet, no society has ever attempted to exist without a religion (or a leader-worship system which was functionally identical to a religion). Let's actually try the experiment before we declare it a failure.

Humans are experimenting with secular societies now. This is probably the best we can do when the human brain is hardwired like it is.