14 DAY TRIAL // Bruce Hood, professor of developmental psychology at the Bristol University, may have come up with the perfect explanation why religion is such an integrant part of our lives – or, at least, for some of us. Going against what atheists say that religion is often only the result of a lack of education, Hood’s latest study comes to show that superstitions and, ultimately, believing in a higher entity are hardwired in our brain, Times Online says.
Of course, this is far from proving that such entities do really exist, but it does go to show that atheists are fighting human nature itself when they’re trying to eradicate such beliefs. From what Hood has learned, this kind of beliefs in supernatural powers hails back to the early stages of the development of mankind, which would indicate that it was one of the many things evolution has endowed us with in order to make us fit for survival.
From this perspective, believing in a higher power returned better results in all aspects of life, because it made people cooperate more efficiently amongst themselves. Therefore, the survival rate was higher. According to Hood, this starts early in life, when we’re still children. “Our research shows children have a natural, intuitive way of reasoning that leads them to all kinds of supernatural beliefs about how the world works. As they grow up they overlay these beliefs with more rational approaches but the tendency to illogical supernatural beliefs remains as religion.” Hood explains, as cited by the aforementioned publication.
Hood will present his findings at the British Science Association’s annual meeting this week. His most recent study comes to support earlier theories that had it that there was a link between religious feelings and certain regions of the brain, which means people “are programmed to get a feeling of spirituality from what is nothing more than electrical activity in these regions.” Times Online explains.
Despite the fact that further research on this would most likely lead to the conclusion that it’s all in people’s mind, as they say, Rev. Michael Reiss of the London University’s Institute of Education is adamant science would and should not overturn religious beliefs. “I am quite sure there will be a biological basis to religious faith. We are evolved creatures and the whole point about humanity is that we are rooted in the natural world.” Reiss tells the same publication.