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How Religion Evolved
And Why It Endures
Series: Pelican Books
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Check link for latest rating. ( 599 ratings, 82 reviews)
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How Religion Evolved
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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Description
A fascinating analysis of the evolution of religion from the internationally renowned evolutionary psychologist.
When did humans develop spiritual thought? What is religion's evolutionary purpose? And in our increasingly secular world, why has it endured?
Every society in the history of humanity has lived with religion. In How Religion Evolved, evolutionary psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar tracks its origins back to what he terms the 'mystical stance'—the aspect of human psychology that predisposes us to believe in a transcendent world, and which makes an encounter with the spiritual possible. As he explores world religions and their many derivatives, as well as religions of experience practised by hunter-gatherer societies since time immemorial, Dunbar argues that this instinct is not a peculiar human quirk, an aberration on our otherwise efficient evolutionary journey. Rather, religion confers an advantage—it can benefit our individual health and wellbeing, but, more importantly, it fosters social bonding at large scale, helping hold fractious societies together.
Dunbar suggests these dimensions might provide the basis for an overarching theory for why and how humans are religious and so help unify the myriad strands that currently populate this field.
Drawing on path-breaking research, clinical case studies and fieldwork from around the globe, as well as stories of charismatic cult leaders, mysterious sects and lost faiths, How Religion Evolved offers a fascinating and far-reaching analysis of this quintessentially human impulse—to believe.
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Robin Dunbar's How Religion Evolved is described as a stimulating and ambitious exploration into the origins of religion. Critics praise Dunbar's wide-ranging intellectual approach, noting his assured discussion of topics from human cognition to congregation sizes. The book is recognised for its learned and readable narrative, offering novel insights and a comprehensive perspective that challenges previous understandings of religious belief and practice. Through vivid examples and a compelling argument, it stands as a significant contribution to the study of religion.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241431795
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 06 April 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Pelican
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 21.0mm
Width: 112.0mm
Height: 181.0mm
Weight: 208g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Anthropological Institute, and an elected Foreign Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. He has been awarded the Osman Hill Medal and the Huxley Medal. His popular science books include The Human Story, How Many Friends Does One Person Need? and Human Evolution, and have been translated into a dozen languages.
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