Does the belief in God give human beings - and beings in general - an evolutionary advantage?
by 
iwnit
ANSWERS: 8
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Indirectly, probably yes. Skeptic and author Michael Shermer proposes that we evolved a "belief engine" ("How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805074791/ref=sip_pdp_dp_1/103-1861409-3564657 ) The belief engine explains how humans, as pattern-seeking creatures, could have evolved an inherent propensity to believe. Those early hominids who were best at finding patterns (standing upwind of game animals is bad for the hunt, cow manure is good for the crops) left behind the most offspring. We are their descendants. The problem is knowing which patterns are meaningful and which are meaningless, though discovering a meaningless pattern (painting animals on a cave wall helps the hunt) usually does no harm and may even help allay anxiety in an uncertain environment. This ties in with the saying that "religion is the opium of the masses." Magical thinking seems to be hard-wired into our brains, and is more or less a by-product of our pattern-seeking skills, which definitely helped us adapt and survive.
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Ummm.. are you claiming that I am not as evolved as you? 2 AUG 07 - If you want a SERIOUS answer, then I have no reason to believe that other species do NOT believe in God, in their own way. Due to language barriers, I can't ask my cats what their religious views are though....
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Yes. Human beings get to evolve into everlasting life.
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Nope..we have thumbs..that gives us the advantage..lol :)
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Maybe in the past it was useful for controlling society but not really no. If God/Religion stands in the way of progress of the human race then it is a disadvantage.
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No! Answers are in the science.
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I think that the stem cell debate is proof enough that belief in god severely disadvantages human evolution, we won't do something we know is true and can help millions because of something we "think" to be true
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Religious belief is probably a human instinct and it had some advantages but for many centries it has slowed scientific advances. Astronomy was held back, even plant hybridisation was felt to be against the laws of god. Morality, cooperation, etc have evolutionary advantages and invoking god is unnecessary. Perhaps for an early society, a relgious leader had the time and help to observe certain patterns that were helpful. But now that scientific observations and study is separate from religion there is no advantage.
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