The Attraction of Religion

A New Evolutionary Psychology of Religion

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Reference, Psychology of Religion
Cover of the book The Attraction of Religion by , Bloomsbury Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781472529688
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Publication: February 26, 2015
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781472529688
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication: February 26, 2015
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Language: English

Religion is an evolutionary puzzle. It involves beliefs in counterfactual worlds and engagement in costly rituals. Yet religion is widespread across all human cultures and eras. This begs the question, why are so many people attracted to religion?

In The Attraction of Religion, essays by leading scholars in evolutionary psychology, anthropology, and religious studies demonstrate how religion may be related to evolutionary adaptations because religious commitments involve fitness-enhancing behaviours that promote reproduction, kinship, and social solidarity. Could it be that religion is wide-spread, at least in the modern world, because it helps to facilitate cooperative breeding? International contributors explore the philosophical and theoretical arguments for and against the use of costly signalling, sexual selection, and related theories to explain religion, and empirical findings that support or disconfirm such claims. The first book-length treatment that focuses specifically on costly signalling, sexual selection, and related evolutionary theories to explain religion, The Attraction of Religion will be an important contribution to the field and will be of interest to researchers in the fields of evolutionary psychology, religion and science, the psychology of religion, and anthropology of religion.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Religion is an evolutionary puzzle. It involves beliefs in counterfactual worlds and engagement in costly rituals. Yet religion is widespread across all human cultures and eras. This begs the question, why are so many people attracted to religion?

In The Attraction of Religion, essays by leading scholars in evolutionary psychology, anthropology, and religious studies demonstrate how religion may be related to evolutionary adaptations because religious commitments involve fitness-enhancing behaviours that promote reproduction, kinship, and social solidarity. Could it be that religion is wide-spread, at least in the modern world, because it helps to facilitate cooperative breeding? International contributors explore the philosophical and theoretical arguments for and against the use of costly signalling, sexual selection, and related theories to explain religion, and empirical findings that support or disconfirm such claims. The first book-length treatment that focuses specifically on costly signalling, sexual selection, and related evolutionary theories to explain religion, The Attraction of Religion will be an important contribution to the field and will be of interest to researchers in the fields of evolutionary psychology, religion and science, the psychology of religion, and anthropology of religion.

More books from Bloomsbury Publishing

Cover of the book The Secret Lives of Puffins by
Cover of the book Speaking of Stendhal by
Cover of the book Philippi: How Christianity Began in Europe by
Cover of the book Accessory Liability by
Cover of the book The Day the Mustache Took Over by
Cover of the book Gain-Based Damages by
Cover of the book Asquith by
Cover of the book Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy by
Cover of the book Journalism and PR by
Cover of the book Nailed by the Heart by
Cover of the book British Universities Past and Present by
Cover of the book Mereology: A Philosophical Introduction by
Cover of the book Men We Reaped by
Cover of the book So Lovers Dream by
Cover of the book Reading the Abrahamic Faiths by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy