Why do humans worship supernatural agents? | Patrick McNamara

Summary

This script explores the enduring human fascination with supernatural agents, which have been part of our experience for at least 30,000 years. It delves into the psychological and neurological aspects, suggesting their role in healing and managing anxiety. The discussion also addresses the implications of a modern society moving away from traditional religious beliefs and the potential effects on individuals. The script highlights the distinct brain activity patterns associated with supernatural agents, particularly the activation of the default mode and salience networks, and the downregulation of executive functions. It raises intriguing questions about the ontological status of supernatural agents, especially in light of consistent brain patterns observed during religious, psychedelic, and REM sleep experiences.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Supernatural agents have been a part of human experience across all cultures and epochs for at least 30,000 years.
• 🤔 The existence of supernatural agents could be real or serve a vital function for human groups and individuals, such as healing and managing anxiety.
• 🔍 In modern societies, there's a widespread loss of traditional religious orientations, raising questions about the impact of losing belief in supernatural agents.
• 📚 'Supernatural agents' are typically defined as entities with superhuman powers, often disembodied, that can read human thoughts and desires.
• 🧠 Interaction with supernatural agents is associated with a decrease in the sense of self and an increase in a petitionary stance towards them.
• 🧪 Brain activity patterns differ significantly when engaging with supernatural agents compared to ordinary individuals, with the default mode network being more intensely activated.
• 🧬 The dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal executive function networks are downregulated during interactions with supernatural agents, facilitating a submissive stance.
• 🌌 Encounters with supernatural agents, whether in psychedelic experiences or religious contexts, show similar brain activity patterns.
• 🧐 The ontological status of supernatural agents remains an open question, with many experiencing them as real entities independent of personal beliefs.
• 🧠 Neuroscientific studies on supernatural agents do not yet suggest that they are mere hallucinations, indicating a complex relationship with human cognition.

Q & A

How long have supernatural agents been part of the human experience according to the script?

Supernatural agents have been part of the human experience for at least 30,000 years.

What are the two possibilities suggested regarding the existence of supernatural agents?

The two possibilities suggested are that supernatural agents are real, or they are not real but perform some vital function for human groups and individuals.

What is the significance of supernatural agents in religious consciousness?

Supernatural agents are significant in religious consciousness as they are typically seen as having special, superhuman powers and are often the focus of reverence, awe, and worship.

What happens to the 'agentic sense of self' when relating to supernatural agents?

The 'agentic sense of self', or the executive self, gets diminished when relating to supernatural agents.

What are the typical characteristics of supernatural agents?

Supernatural agents are typically disembodied, have knowledge of human thoughts and desires, possess powers to heal and curse, set standards for humans, and often put humans in a servile, petitionary stance.

How do people typically approach supernatural agents?

People typically approach supernatural agents with reverence, awe, fear, and through various ceremonial rituals, often promising sacrifices or worship in exchange for blessings and help.

What changes in brain activity patterns are observed when people interact with supernatural agents compared to ordinary agents?

When interacting with supernatural agents, there is more intense activation of the default mode network, including structures like the hippocampus and amygdala, while the dorsilateral prefrontal and parietal executive function networks are downregulated.

What is the 'petitionary stance' referred to in the script?

The 'petitionary stance' refers to the approach humans take when relating to supernatural agents, characterized by a submissive or pleading attitude, often seeking blessings or help.

How do encounters with supernatural agents during psychedelic experiences compare to those during religious or REM sleep experiences in terms of brain activity?

Initial indications suggest that the brain activity patterns during encounters with supernatural agents in psychedelic experiences are very similar to those during REM sleep or religious experiences, with significant activation of social brain areas and REM sleep areas.

What is the ontological status of supernatural agents according to the script?

The ontological status of supernatural agents is presented as an open question. While some people experience them as real entities with independent effects, the script does not definitively categorize them as mere hallucinations or as having an objective existence.

What is the 'default mode network' mentioned in the script, and what role does it play in the context of supernatural agents?

The 'default mode network' is a set of brain structures that are more intensely activated during rest and introspection. In the context of supernatural agents, its activation is associated with the experiential aspects of postulating a superhuman mind that can read our minds.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 The Role and Perception of Supernatural Agents

The paragraph discusses the pervasive presence of supernatural agents in human history and culture, dating back at least 30,000 years. It explores the possibility that these agents may be real or serve a functional role in human societies, such as aiding in healing and managing anxiety. The paragraph raises questions about the implications of a decline in traditional religious beliefs and the potential consequences of ceasing to believe in supernatural agents. It defines supernatural agents as entities with superhuman powers, often disembodied, who can read human thoughts and desires and have the power to heal or curse. These agents often set standards for human behavior and elicit reverence and fear. The paragraph also touches on the diminished sense of self that can occur when interacting with supernatural agents and questions the benefits humans might derive from this relationship. It concludes by highlighting the differences in brain activity when people engage with supernatural agents versus ordinary individuals, noting increased activation in areas associated with REM sleep and social cognition, and decreased activity in executive function networks.

05:03

🧠 Brain Activity and the Ontological Status of Supernatural Agents

This paragraph delves into the brain activity patterns associated with encounters with supernatural agents, particularly during psychedelic experiences and religious experiences. It raises the question of whether the brain's response to supernatural agents is distinct from its response to significant loved ones or powerful individuals. The paragraph suggests that the brain activity during such encounters is indeed different, with increased activation in the default mode network and the salience network, which are also active during REM sleep, and decreased activity in the executive function networks. This neural pattern may contribute to the perception of supernatural agents as real and independent entities. The paragraph also discusses the ontological status of supernatural agents, noting that even atheists who have encountered them often report them as real and independent, raising the question of whether these experiences are mere hallucinations or indicative of a deeper reality. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing that the ontological nature of supernatural agents remains an open question.

Keywords

💡Supernatural agents

Supernatural agents refer to entities or beings believed to possess powers beyond the natural order. In the context of the video, they are a constant across human cultures and history, often invoked for their perceived ability to heal or influence human affairs. The video discusses the possibility that these agents may serve vital functions for individuals and groups, such as providing a sense of meaning or coping mechanism for anxiety.

💡Invocation

Invocation is the act of calling upon or appealing to a deity or supernatural agent for assistance or intervention. The video mentions invocation as one of the few constants in human experience, suggesting that humans have long sought to engage with supernatural agents for various purposes, including healing and guidance.

💡Disembodied

Disembodied refers to the concept of a being or consciousness that exists without a physical body. In the video, it is mentioned that supernatural agents are typically disembodied, which contrasts them with physical beings and emphasizes their otherworldly nature.

💡Healing

Healing in the video is associated with the powers attributed to supernatural agents. It suggests that one of the reasons humans might believe in or invoke these agents is for their perceived ability to provide physical, emotional, or spiritual healing.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a common human emotion that can be managed or alleviated through various means. The video posits that belief in supernatural agents might serve to reduce anxiety by providing a sense of security or control over uncertain circumstances.

💡Religious orientations

Religious orientations refer to the beliefs, values, and practices that guide an individual's or group's relationship with the divine or supernatural. The video notes a widespread loss of traditional religious orientations in modern societies, raising questions about the implications for belief in supernatural agents.

💡Default mode network

The default mode network is a network of brain regions that are active when the mind is at rest and not focused on the outside world. The video discusses how this network, particularly areas like the hippocampus and amygdala, is more intensely activated when people engage with supernatural agents, suggesting a deep, intrinsic connection between these brain areas and the perception of the supernatural.

💡Reverence

Reverence is a feeling of deep respect and veneration. In the video, it is mentioned as one of the attitudes humans adopt when approaching supernatural agents, indicating the profound significance and solemnity with which these entities are regarded.

💡Ontological status

Ontological status refers to the nature of existence or reality of something. The video raises the question of whether supernatural agents have an objective existence independent of human belief, as some individuals, even those who identify as atheists, report experiencing them as real entities.

💡Psychedelic experiences

Psychedelic experiences are altered states of consciousness induced by certain substances. The video mentions these experiences as a contemporary context where encounters with what are perceived as supernatural agents are occurring, suggesting a potential link between the brain's response to these agents and the effects of psychedelics.

💡Neuroscience

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system and brain function. The video discusses how neuroscience, particularly through the study of brain activity patterns, can provide insights into the human perception and experience of supernatural agents, without necessarily confirming or denying their existence.

Highlights

Supernatural agents have been a constant part of human experience for at least 30,000 years across various cultures and conditions.

Two possibilities for the existence of supernatural agents: they are real or they serve a vital function for humans.

Modern societies are experiencing a widespread loss of traditional religious orientations.

The question arises: what happens when people stop believing in supernatural agents?

Definition of 'supernatural agents': entities with superhuman powers, often disembodied, that can read human thoughts and desires.

Supernatural agents are believed to have the power to heal or curse and set standards for human behavior.

Interaction with supernatural agents often involves reverence, awe, fear, and ceremonial rituals.

Relating to supernatural agents diminishes the sense of self, raising questions about why this occurs.

Brain activity patterns differ significantly when relating to supernatural agents versus ordinary individuals.

The default mode network, including the hippocampus and amygdala, is more intensely activated during supernatural agent interactions.

Executive function networks are downregulated during interactions with supernatural agents, facilitating a petitionary stance.

Psychedelic experiences and encounters with supernatural agents show similar brain activity patterns to REM sleep.

The ontological status of supernatural agents is questioned, as even atheists report experiencing them as real entities.

Current experimental neuroscience findings do not suggest that supernatural agents are mere hallucinations.

The belief in the reality of supernatural agents is common, even among healthy individuals.

The ontological nature of supernatural agents remains an open question, with no definitive answers from current research.

Transcripts

- Now, I think it's fair to say

that supernatural agents have been part

of the human experience for at least 30,000 years.

Across all ecologies, all cultures,

all living conditions, all epochs,

one of the few constants of the human experience

is the invocation and the postulation

of supernatural agents.

So why, why is that the case?

One possibility is that supernatural agents are real.

Maybe they're real.

Another possibility is that they're not real,

but they perform some vital function

for human groups and human individuals,

or they help us with healing, and with anxiety levels.

But what we're seeing all around us now

in the current modernized societies,

you know, people losing traditional religious orientations

left and right, I mean, it's ubiquitous.

So if that evidence is correct,

that they perform these vital functions for human groups

and human individuals, then a natural question arises:

What happens when you stop believing in,

you know, supernatural agents?

What do you do then?

So it's important to define

what we mean by "supernatural agents,"

since it plays such a central role

in religious consciousness, at least traditionally.

So a supernatural agent, in general,

is an agent with special, superhuman powers.

They typically are disembodied, but not always.

And the crucial thing

is that they know what we're thinking and desiring.

They have powers to heal, and powers to curse.

They tend to set up standards

that human beings are expected to strive towards,

and they tend to put human beings

in a servile, petitionary stance.

So we approach them with reverence, awe, fear-

and all kinds of ceremonial rituals.

We're always saying, "Please give us blessings and help,

and then we'll sacrifice to you, we'll worship you,

we'll organize our lives around you."

What you find when you start to study the attributes

and powers of supernatural agents,

in particular, in relation to individuals,

is that the agentic sense of self,

the executive self, gets diminished.

So a natural question arises:

Why?

Why do the supernatural agents want that?

And why would we go along with it?

What benefit, if any, do we derive from that process?

When we relate to a supernatural agent,

there's a lot more at stake

than when we relate to an ordinary agent.

You know, our entire lives are in the hands

of our loved ones, in a sense, it's true.

But when we relate to a supernatural agent,

when we really believe that they're real

and that they can confer blessings or curses on us,

then we gotta approach them

with due safety procedures in place

because we give them such power over us.

We need these guardrails to relate to supernatural agents.

So a big question that comes up

when you're studying supernatural agents is:

'Is a set of brain activity patterns any different

when we're relating to a supernatural agent

versus some control agent,

like a particularly significant loved one

or a prominent, powerful individual?'

And the answer is 'yes.'

We have noticed very different brain activity patterns

when people are cognizing, remembering, or imagining,

or praying to supernatural agents

versus interacting with ordinary control agents.

The default mode network is more intensely activated,

particularly the the set of structures

that we see during REM sleep.

Those include things like the hippocampus and the amygdala,

the default mode network and the salience network.

Whereas, the dorsilateral prefrontal, and the parietal

executive function networks are downregulated.

So the downregulation,

those networks facilitate that petitionary stance,

and the upregulation of all those social brain areas,

and REM sleep areas

tend to activate the experiential aspects

in the postulating of a superhuman mind

that can read our minds.

Now a question comes up about

when people who consider themselves non-religious

or in non-religious context

encounter what we would normally call a supernatural agent-

and that's happening quite a bit these days

in psychedelic experiences.

The question of whether or not

the same brain activity patterns

associated with supernatural agents

that occur during psychedelic experiences,

versus those that occur during REM sleep

or during religious experiences is a crucial question

that we don't know the answers to yet.

But initial indications are very similar,

brain activity patterns are occurring in all cases.

There's a lot of sensory associations going on

during these encounters with the supernatural agents.

After studying these supernatural agents,

both in psychedelic contexts

and in standard, experimental neuroscience protocols,

question comes up about their ontological status-

'cause people who experienced them,

even people who claim they were atheists, they're saying,

"I experienced them as absolutely real entities.

They don't follow my desires, or my will, or my agency,

and they have independent effects, and I believe they exist

whether or not I'm interacting with them."

So very healthy people

experience supernatural agents all the time-

they believe they're real.

In experimental neuroscience protocols,

nothing about what we've learned so far

about brain activities in relation to supernatural agents

suggest that they're mere hallucinations.

What to think of them ontologically is an open question.