Why did human create Gods? Evolution can explain.

Summary

The video explores how evolution may have led humans to believe in gods and supernatural beings. It argues that these beliefs are not a direct result of evolutionary advantage, but rather byproducts of cognitive traits that developed for survival, such as hyperactive agency detection, theory of mind, and promiscuous teleology. These mental functions led early humans to perceive intention and purpose in the world around them, which contributed to the universal belief in gods and spirits. The video suggests that belief in gods is an intuitive result of human cognitive evolution.

Takeaways

• 😀 Evolution has led humans to develop cognitive tendencies that result in beliefs in gods and supernatural beings, which are byproducts of mental functions rather than evolutionary advantages.
• 😀 One key mental function is 'hyperactive agency detection,' where humans are overly sensitive to detecting agents or beings in their environment, even when there are none.
• 😀 This tendency to over-apply agency detection helped humans survive, as those who were hypersensitive to potential threats (e.g., animals or snakes) lived longer and passed on their genes.
• 😀 Hyperactive agency detection led humans to imagine supernatural beings, such as gods or spirits, when they couldn't explain natural occurrences, like thunder or illness.
• 😀 'Theory of mind' is another cognitive function that helps humans predict others' intentions and emotions, which enabled better cooperation in social groups and contributed to survival.
• 😀 However, humans tend to over-apply 'theory of mind' by ascribing human-like qualities or intentions to animals and objects, further fostering the belief in supernatural beings.
• 😀 People naturally apply human-like qualities to objects, such as thinking their car is 'angry' when it doesn't work, reflecting the over-application of theory of mind.
• 😀 'Promiscuous teleology' refers to the tendency to assume everything has a purpose or intention, a mental shortcut that was advantageous for survival in our evolutionary history.
• 😀 This teleological thinking is useful for quickly assessing the function of objects or natural phenomena, such as recognizing that clouds bring rain or animals might pose threats.
• 😀 While teleological thinking helps with survival, it also leads to religious beliefs by making humans assume there is purpose behind everything, including the natural world and supernatural beings.
• 😀 Some theories suggest belief in gods may have evolutionary advantages, such as encouraging moral behavior and fostering cooperation, but the focus here is on the instinctive byproducts of evolution.

Q & A

What is the evolutionary reason behind the belief in gods or supernatural beings?

The belief in gods is not necessarily an evolutionary advantage but is often considered a byproduct of cognitive functions that evolved for other purposes. These functions include hyperactive agency detection, theory of mind, and promiscuous teleology, which led humans to imagine supernatural beings.

What is hyperactive agency detection and how does it relate to belief in gods?

Hyperactive agency detection is a tendency to over-apply the detection of agency (intentionality or action) to situations where there might be none. For instance, a human might mistake wind for the sound of a snake. This tendency, which evolved for survival, leads people to imagine supernatural beings as agents behind unexplained events.

How did humans' theory of mind contribute to belief in gods?

Theory of mind is the ability to understand and predict others' mental states. It helped humans better cooperate in social groups. However, humans over-applied this ability, often attributing human-like qualities and intentions to non-human entities, such as animals or natural phenomena, leading to beliefs in supernatural beings.

What is an example of 'promiscuous teleology' and how does it relate to supernatural beliefs?

Promiscuous teleology is the tendency to assume that things exist for a purpose or intention. For example, a child might think flowers exist to make the world beautiful. This way of thinking, which is useful for survival, also leads humans to imagine supernatural designers or gods behind natural phenomena.

Why do humans tend to think in terms of purpose and intention, and how does this affect their beliefs?

Humans evolved to recognize purpose and intention because it helped with survival, such as predicting the behaviors of animals or understanding natural phenomena. This default mode of thinking also led to the assumption that the world itself and natural events were designed with a purpose, reinforcing beliefs in supernatural beings.

How does over-applied theory of mind lead to the belief in spirits and gods?

When humans over-apply theory of mind, they begin to think that animals, objects, and even natural phenomena like thunderstorms or the forest have human-like thoughts and feelings. This tendency contributed to the idea of spirits or gods being behind these forces.

What role does education and scientific knowledge play in diminishing belief in supernatural beings?

Education and scientific knowledge reduce teleological thinking—the assumption that everything exists for a purpose. As people learn more about the natural world and how it works, their tendency to attribute purpose to everything, including natural phenomena, decreases, which is partly why atheism has risen in modern society.

What evolutionary advantage did the ability to detect agency provide to early humans?

The ability to detect agency allowed early humans to quickly identify potential threats or opportunities in their environment, such as recognizing whether a noise came from a predator or harmless wind. This skill, while useful for survival, also contributed to the over-application of agency detection, leading to beliefs in gods and spirits.

Why are children more likely to engage in teleological thinking than adults?

Children are more prone to teleological thinking because their understanding of the world is still developing. They are more likely to see purpose or intention in natural phenomena. As they grow and gain more knowledge, their thinking becomes less teleological and more aligned with scientific explanations.

What is the connection between belief in gods and conspiracy theories?

Belief in gods and conspiracy theories share similarities in how people tend to assign intentionality or agency to events. In both cases, people may attribute unexplained or random occurrences to the actions of a supernatural being or a hidden force, reflecting the brain's tendency to find patterns and intentions behind events.