1. Definitions of “Religion” Many Modernist Evolutionary: Minimalist & Maximalist -- Do Work -- Have Consequences

2. Evolutionary Definitions Minimalist (Byproduct) Spirit Ideas Soul Beliefs “Invisible Agents” Focus on Ideas Maximalist (Adaptation) Ritual Practices Emotional States Transcendence Morals/Ethics Focus on Practices

3. Definitions and Agendas Minimalist: used by rationalists/atheists to identify “origins” and “explain religion” as psychological epiphenomena or error Maximalist: used by evolutionary theists to show religion is “adaptive” and progressed from “primitive” to “modern”

4. What is “Religion”? Constructed Category – Historical – Cultural – Political – Legal – Confessional – Academic/Analytic

5. Category & Construct of “Religion” Supernatural/Natural Heaven/Earth Sacred/Profane Spiritual/Physical Religious/Secular Cartesian Dualism (Mind/Body) Enlightenment Categories Western & Christian Ideas

6. WEIRD (Plus C) Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic Christian

7. Cognitive “Byproduct” Theories Natural Selection on Individuals Focus on “Religious” Ideas Religion as Psychological Byproduct “Religion” Not an Adaptation Many Atheists

8. Emphasis on Subconscious Processing Reliably Develops in All Humans Automatic Effortless Super Fast Habitual Narrow Tasks

9. “Religion” Related Modules Causal Attribution Pattern Imposition Theory of Mind Agency Detection Teleology/Design Commonsense Dualism

10. Combined Byproducts: Ordinary Cognition Describes Normal Human Mind Product of Pan-Human Neurobiology Does Not Describe “Religious” Mind

11. Durkheim’s Critique Too “Intellectualist” (Ideas) Too “Individualist” (Psychology) Natural Selection Eliminates Errors & Illusions Ancestors Would Not Have Survived Must Be Some Other Explanation

12. Durkheim’s Explanation Religion is Product of Collective Rituals Group Rituals Arouse Intense Emotions Emotions Fixed as “Sacred” Symbols Society Worships These “Totem” Symbols Totemism & Later Religions are “Social Glue”

13. Evolutionary “Adaptive” Theories Natural Selection on Groups Focus on “Religious” Practices Rituals as Social Glue “Religion” Is An Adaptation Many Theists

14. Two Adaptive Theories Costly “Ritual” Signaling: Trust, Reliability, Prosociality, and Altruism Group Level Selection: Religion (enabled by language, ideas, symbols) Binds Group Together and Motivates

15. Critique of Adaptive Theories Kin Selection (Inclusive Fitness) Reciprocal Altruism (Tit for Tat) No Group Level Selection (Only Individual)

16. NEW DEBATE IS OLD DEBATE Byproduct Theorists: Focus on Ideas Individual Psychology Cognitive Errors Not an Adaptation MODERN TYLORIANS Adaptationists: Focus on Practices Group Psychology Prosocial Benefits Adaptation MODERN DURKHEIMIANS

17. Where Are We Today? Many Good Evolutionary Explanations Neither Approach is Conclusive Neither Approach is Exclusive Need Both Approaches Need to Disclose Agendas Can Support Either Atheism or Theism

18. Dissolving the Origins Problem Behavioral Modernity Fully “Modern” Linguistic Fluency Symbolic Capacities Just Like Us 50,000 YEARS AGO: Animist Worldviews

19. Upper Paleolithic (50,000 BCE): Symbols & Language Rock “Art” Cave Paintings Body Ornaments Grave Goods Musical Instruments “Venus” Figurines

20. Mythical First “Moderns” – Who Are We? – Where Did We Come From? – How Do Things Work? – Why Do Things Happen? – What Is This Place? – Who Are They?

21. Language: The Integration Problem Inner Reality/Experience Outer Reality/Events

22. Making Sense: Shamans & Animist Worldviews Theories Models Classifications Taxonomies Order Explanations

24. Shamans as Subset/Specialists Hunter-Gatherers/Horticulturalists Animist Worldviews Adepts Apprenticeship Often “Chosen” Dangerous to Deny Calling Dangerous Calling

25. “ASC”

26. Methods of ASC Induction Fasting/Starvation Sweating/Dehydration Pain/Self-Torture Dancing/Exhaustion Rhythmic/Drumming Isolation/Meditation Sensory Deprivation Sleep Deprivation Psychotropics (Plants & Brews)

27. Peopling the World: Powered by Animist Worldviews

28. Animist Worldviews as Adaptation Tightly Linked to Ancestral Lifeways Hunting & Gathering Nomadic or Non-Sedentary Small Groups (15-150) Oral Cultures Comprehensive Philosophy Knowledge as Technology

29. Animist Worldviews Unified Cosmology (No Dualisms) Force or Power Thoughts/Symbols are Real “Nature” as Anthropomorphic Society Animals are “Other Than Human Persons” Animated World (Relational Epistemology) Primacy of Place (Spatial Ontology)

30. Totalized “This World” Theory Seeing Perceiving Constructing Explaining Negotiating Relating Being

31. Neolithic Transitions (Domestication of Plants/Animals) & Slow Development of “Religions” Sedentism Surpluses Specialization Stratification Sickness Slavery

32. Sedentism Surpluses Specialization Stratification Sickness Suffering Slavery Neolithic Transitions & Scaling

33. Social Stratification

34. Neolithic Problems Legitimize Authority Justify Difference Maintain Power Social Control Social Conflict Social Cohesion Group Mobilization

35. Neolithic “Religious” Responses Rulers as Gods Elites as Priests Temples as Warehouses Theology as Politics Knowledge as Power Monuments as Symbols Commands as Signs

36. Two-Tiered Model of Cosmos: As on Earth, So in Heaven

37. Late Neolithic Breakdowns & Large-Scale Instability Bondage, Plagues, Floods, Droughts, Famines & Migrations Intense & Destructive Warfare Poverty & Slavery Specialization & Alienation Theocracy & Despotism

38. AXIAL MOVEMENTS & SAGES Greece (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) Persia (Zoroaster) India (Buddha, Mahavira) China (Confucius, Lao-Tzu) Levant (Prophets, Jesus, Mohammed)

39. AXIAL COMMON THEMES Critical (Primacy of Heavens/Cosmos) Universal over Local (Restraint on Rulers) Justifications for Suffering (Flawed Selves) Compassion for Sick & Poor (Welfare) Renunciation & Asceticism (Corruption) Transcendence (Otherworldly ) Ethics & Morals (“The Golden Rule”) Meaning & Purpose of Life (Alienation) Salvation & Redemption (Death)

40. DERIVED “Religious” Responses Rulers, Elites, Priests, Masters, and Gods Obedience, Rules, Laws, and Commands Matters of Morality & Ethics Questions of Meaning & Purpose Justification for Suffering Escape from Suffering Transcendence Other Worldly

41. DERIVED “Religious” Dichotomies Supernatural/Natural Metaphysical/Physical Heaven/Earth Sacred/Profane Spirit/Matter Religious/Secular Matters of: “BELIEF” & “FAITH”

42. “Modern-World Religions” are Derivations “Religions” are recent development in history “Religions” found in sedentary, agricultural, larger-scale societies These “religions” are derived and different Are not more complex or profound Speak to different social, economic, political, and psychological issues

43. Progressive Cultural-Religious Evolution Animism/Shamanism: “simple” Paganism/Polytheism: “developed” Monotheism/Universalism: “complex”

44. Important Considerations Variability Across Time and Space No Universal Animist Worldviews No Universal “Religions” All Equally Evolved All Equally Complex Significant Difference: Oral v. Literate

46. IT ALL “MAKES SENSE”