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Why We Believe in God(s): A Concise Guide to the Science of Faith

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Thomson's tiny book (114 miniature pages) is a commendable introduction to the emerging science of religion. Those who are unfamiliar with the new convergence of psychology, biology, and anthropology in evolutionary-cognitive theory will find the book useful for getting them started on the subject. (Those already familiar with the much more substantial treatments of Boyer, Atran, Guthrie, Kirkpatrick, de Waal, and others will not learn anything new here.) The book suffers from its very brevity: for instance, in the discussion of human evolution in chapter 2, no dates or descriptions are included with the names of various species. Also, the book commits the standard error of virtually all studies of religion, namely conflating theism--and sometimes specifically CHRISTIAN theism--with religion. For example, on page 32, it says that "All religions...begin with belief in one or more central holy figures or teachers." That is not quite accurate: not all religions even include a notion of "the holy." Later on the page Thompson admits that he will only discuss one religion, but that makes the entire point of the evolutionary theory of religion moot, since Christianity was most assuredly not the first religion to evolve, nor was theism a part of that first religion. On page 46 Thompson says that "Religions give us supernormal 'parents,' magnificent attachment figures...." but the reality is that not all religions imagine their spirit-beings as parents either. That is likewise a very Christian way of thinking. So, this little book is a decent starting place to learn about the latest thinking on the human and social origins of religion, but use it as a jumping-off point into the more detailed and culturally-informed literature that puts theism in its place--late in the religion game, as a branch of a branch of the evolving religion tree.

This book summarizes the scientific research that explains the human inclination to create divinity. It is not a defense of atheism, but rather shows what science has to say about the various modules and capacities that humans have developed over the millenia that lend themselves to the generation and embrace of religious explanations. Although the authors make it clear that they are not people of faith, the book is not an attack on faith so much as an account of why people might believe, other than "because it's true." Very current in terms of the literature, well written, and thus a good portal for someone seeking to learn more about the field.

As Thomson and Aukofer point out in this compelling little book, our snap judgements are "millions of years in the making" and so is the human propensity to construct and to believe in gods. I know of no clearer or more concise summary of the various preadaptations that cause humans to generate and sustain religious belief.

I've long wondered why intelligent people can have such irrational religious beliefs, and after reading this book I now have a better understanding. Thomson and Aukofer offer insightful analogies from different fields to explain why it was inevitable that humans would create gods. I was fascinated to see arguments and examples about why "belief" can be more compelling than "truth," and why some people have trouble distinguishing one from the other. This book will give religious believers and atheists alike something new to think about, and they will better understand not only what they believe, but why they believe as they do.

The Evolutionary Mechanism of Belief

What this book is:

This is a great introduction into the idea of religion as the by-product of our evolutionary development. It does not ridicule religion as something that only the foolish follow; it instead gives a reason why so many people naturally fall into the prevailing religions of their areas. It does assume that the people who are reading the book can get over the assumption that evolution is a scientific fact which will really only turn off those who would not get a lot out of the book in the first place.

What this book is not:

This is not any sort of direct confrontation of any of the specific claims of religion or evolution. While it touches on some of the topics, it is not a focus of the book. Don't expect to find irreducible complexity or specified information nonsense being challenged here.

The best part for me:

For me personally this was somewhat of a "missing link" in my understanding of how normally rational people can be convinced of irrational notions. Unlike the books I have read by more mystically oriented people who use a lot of emotional appeals that always left me feeling like I had been sold something, when reading this book the ideas just clicked into place.
While this is not a definitive end to the question, it does give a direction that the answer most likely lies in and some very factual and compelling reasons to go down that road.

I was hesitant on whether or not I wanted to read this, not because the material is offensive to me, but I thought I wouldn't learn anything. After just finishing it, I am glad I made the investment.

"Why We Believe in God(s)" is a nice summary of all of the research done in recent years on why humans are primed to accept religious notions. If you have any inclination to learn about why people accept belief in god(s) and why religions are so comforting to people, this is a wonderful place to start.

The discussion of neurochemicals and how they effect belief and ritual were very informative, along with the authors explanation of suicidal acts within religions.

It's not a very large book, so it could be read in a day. "Why We Believe In God(s)" isn't a comprehensive guide to explaining faith, but a great introduction to the topic.


Other books that one may find interesting:
The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life
The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths

Why We Believe in God(s): A Concise Guide to the Science of Faith by J. Anderson Thompson, Jr with Clare Aukfor examines the origins of faith and deity belief through the perspective of evolutionary psychology while also calling upon cognitive neuroscience and physiology.

Through engaging and accessible prose, Thomson offers a primer on why cultures throughout recorded history have demonstrated a belief in some deity or mystical concept.

A short discussion on evolution is offered, but where this book really shines is in the dismantling of the structural and chemical features of the brain that are manipulated and naturally lead to god beliefs. From inducing trance states through ritual, music, and movement to exploiting kin psychology, Thomson examines how various external factors perpetuate belief by exploiting feelings of security and euphoria.

I found my own assumptions challenged by this book in a very thought provoking way. The Atheist community's mantra that everyone is born Atheist may not be entirely accurate. Consider that humans are born with tendencies of perception that are very valuable in an evolutionary sense but that can be misleading in terms of distinguishing reality. One example is the theory of mind coupled with intensionality: the ability to reflect on what others think and what others think we are thinking about them- and so on to multiple orders. Thomson asserts "this kind of awareness of what other people think, and what other people think about what we might think, is something utterly indispensible for social relationships" (58). In terms of god(s) belief this is how Thomson presents this phenomenon:

First Order - I believe
Second Order- I believe that God wants
Third Order - I believe that God wants us to act with righteous intent
Fourth Order - I want you to believe that God wants us to act with righteous intent
Fifth Order - I want you to know that we both believe that God wants us to act with righteous intent (59)
This complex system that evolved for the useful purpose of layered projections of empathy and expectation required for social interactions can be easily muddied like a corrupted game of telephone and even poisoned with supernatural insertions. This becomes easier when the actual physical and perceptual mechanisms of our body and brain cause us to perceive a distinction between the two, which leads some to the assumption of disembodied intelligence.

Perhaps, the most telling of psychological tendencies from the many discussed in the text is that of assuming agency. In theological debate, this always arises with the theist asking "WHO created the universe?" Humans seek patterns even when there are none (also discussed by Thomson), but more importantly, they assign agency. In fact, young children inherently assume that there is a person behind movements of objects even if it there is no human source. One can easily see the genesis of countless "first-mover" arguments all being derived from an instinctual response generated by an evolved instinct demonstrated by infants.

As a result of this book, I reexamined my assumptions that theists are entirely unreasonable. There are wired mechanisms and evolved behaviors that cause children to assume that question of "who did this?" and not "what did this?" The very structure of our brain allows for decoupled cognition, which is altogether necessary for memory and planning; however, this same decoupled cognition allows for the creation of imaginary friends- sometimes very dangerous ones.

Why We Believe in God(s) serves as a valuable resource and one that may offer some thoughtful challenges for Atheist and theist alike. Its weakness resides in the very nature of its lack of range; it is a primer with a focus and not a comprehensive examination of secular ideals. The discussion of evolution is engaging though skimpy and rushed. After reading the book, one knows they have barely scratched the surface, but the reader should realize he is getting what is advertised: A CONCISE Guide to the Science of Faith.

Here are 89 pages of necessary perspective for anyone contemplating contemporary religious belief. The book has a great suggested reading list and glossary as well. While the writing does minimally display some obvious bias ( mainly in the closing paragraphs of each chapter ) the book is written so that it is educational and not proselytizing. For me there was at least one "ah" moment in every chapter. The descriptions for psychiatric systems in this book had me considering much more than my view of religion.

Why We Believe in God(s): A Concise Guide to the Science of Faith by J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., MD with Clare Aukofer

"Why We Believe in God(s)" is the brief yet commendable book that studies faith through the eyes of science. This 144-page book is composed of ten chapters: 1. In the Beginning Was the Word: Our Propensity to Believe, 2. In the Image and Likeness: Evolution 101, 3. Our Daily Bread: Craving a Caretaker, 4. All That is Seen and Unseen: Conceiving Souls, 5. Because the Bible Tells Me So: Believing in the Invisible, 6. And Deliver Us from Evil: Anthropomorphizing God(s), 7. Thy Will Be Done: Submitting to the Law of God(s), 8. Wherever Two or More of You Are Gathered: Harnessing Brain Chemistry through Ritual, 9. Oh Ye of Little Faith: Discovering the Physical Evidence of God(s) as By-product, and 10. Lest Ye Be Judged: Educating Our Minds.

Positives:
1. A well written, accessible book for the masses.
2. Thought-provoking book. The topics are interesting and makes for an enjoyable read.
3. Short and to the point. Refreshing approach.
4. Each chapter is introduced with a fitting quote by Charles Darwin.
5. I like the conviction of some of his quotes, "We are risen apes, not fallen angels - and we now have the evidence to prove it".
6. Despite the brevity of this book, there are some very compelling arguments. There is wisdom to be found.
7. The explanation for the attachment system.
8. The theory of mind and good examples to understand why it is so.
9. Our predisposition to ascribe humanlike influence (agency) to nearly everything.
10. The understanding of the "purpose" bias.
11. The evolution of morality, IMHO the strongest chapter of this book.
12. What triggers our moral responses...find out.
13. The importance of rituals to maintain and transmit beliefs.
14. Interesting take on fasting.
15. Interesting tidbits, "enthusiasm" derives from the Greek "enthousiasmos," which means "possessed by God."
16. Interesting studies revealed.
17. Religion and its preoccupation with sex...
18. Neuroscience and how it is helping us understand religious beliefs.
19. What religion and science provides.
20. An overall good introduction of the science of religion.
21. Interesting notes and a glossary.

Negatives:
1. Charts or illustrations would have added value.
2. No links, including not linking the table of contents.
3. Because of the brevity of this book some topics were treated too lightly. The concept of dualism comes to mind.
4. Notes and glossary aside, a bibliography is a must.
5. The authors provide more passion in the notes section, go figure.

In summary, a few shortcomings aside I enjoyed the book. The book lacks depth as one would expect of a book of this brevity. There are better books on the market regarding this topic but I still enjoyed it. It's a good intellectual appetizer for anyone interested in the topic. It's thought-provoking and I always learn something new from such books. If you are looking for a book to whet your appetite on the science of faith, this is a good contribution.

Further suggestions: "The Believing Brain..." by Michael Shermer is superb, "The Brain and the Meaning of Life" by Paul Thagard, "The Moral Landscape..." by Sam Harris, "Science and Nonbelief" by Taner Edis, "Hardwired Behavior" by Laurence Tancredi, "Superstition..." by Robert L. Park, "Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us about Morality" by Patricia S. Churchland, "The Invention of God..." Bill Lauritzen, "Man Made God..." Barbara G. Walker and "The Invention of the Jewish People" by Shlomo Sand.

I'm reading Michael Shermer's The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths. I love me some Shermer, and I find the general topic of the psychology, sociology, and neurology of belief fascinating. But Shermer's book, great as it is, sometimes barely trudges in place as ort after ort of relevant data is paraded before my fast-blearing eyes.

There's no real depth to "Why We Believe," and I couldn't be more grateful. It's a greatest hits compilation, a mix tape of some of the most interesting ideas about religious belief. It's broken into bite-sized sections, research is summarized and properly attributed, and central analogies (despite what one reviewer stated) are on-point and easy to follow.

The criticism that there's nothing really new hear sticks, however. OK, so for those of us who follow research into skepticism and belief and mental errors and so forth, "Why We Believe" won't come as a minty fresh revolution in thought. Fair enough. But I was only even able to recognize the material as second-hand because the authors skillfully recalled to my mind things that I had indeed read elsewhere, but had either forgotten or could not have succinctly and accurately stated as they do.

To my mind, that's a valuable contribution. And unlike some books those of us with one position refer our opponents to ("If you really want to understand evolution, just read Dawkins's The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution..."), this is not a book we need feel awkward or sheepish about recommending, because the investment to read and understand it clocks in at less than two hours or so.