Prompt: In this first section of the course, we have been studying religion from a bio-cultural perspective, drawing on research from evolutionary and cognitive sciences A summary of this perspective is that religious beliefs and behaviors are shaped by cognitive processes that work largely outside of conscious awareness (i e System 1). These beliefs and behaviors serve as cultural resources that can contribute to enhancing and extending social cooperation.
In particular, we focused on three processes: the generation of god-beliefs; the social function of belief in punishing gods; and how religions serve as signals of commitment. Using a selection of Biblical texts as examples, explain these three processes and discuss how they have shaped the selected Biblical texts.
There should be three sections to your paper (as follows):
The Template for God-beliefs: Select one to two examples from the Biblical texts provided and demonstrate how the character of God is constructed along the lines of the god-template we discussed (i.e. Gods as minimally-counter intuitive beings; anthropomorphism, ToM). In this discussion you must explain the theory on how god-beliefs are generated, as that was set out in the reading, Why Would Anyone Believe in God? By Justin Barrett. Religion and Cooperation: Select one to two examples from the Biblical texts provided and demonstrate how God functions to promote cooperation. In this discussion, you must explain the Supematural Punishment Hypothesis, as set out in the article by Johnson and Bering. How does a group benefit by believing in a punishing God? What problem does it solve? Religion as a Signal of Commitment: Select two to three examples from the Biblical texts provided that demonstrate how religious behaviors, badges, bans, and/or beliefs function as signals of commitment to the group. Why are such signals necessary? What makes for a reliable signal and why? This discussion must draw on the papers by William Irons and/or Richard Sosis.
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