The Biology of Religious Behavior

The Evolutionary Origins of Faith and Religion

Bibliographic Data

ID16996379
AuthorsJay R Feierman (corresponding author)
Year2009
Publication date2009-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueThe Biology of Religious Behavior (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherABC-CLIO, LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5040/9798400619151
OpenAlexW4392037616
ISBN9798400619151
LanguageEN
Citations received3

Offers a fresh and detailed take on the evolution of religious behavior from a biobehavioral perspective, promoting a new understanding that may help build bridges across the religious divide. There has been much recent interest in the study of religion from the perspective of Darwinian evolution. The Biology of Religious Behavior: The Evolutionary Origins of Faith and Religion offers a broad overview of the topic, written by internationally recognized experts. In addition to its primary focus on religious behavior, the book addresses other important aspects of religion, such as values, beliefs, and emotions as they affect behavior. The contributors approach the evolution of religion by examining the behavior of individuals in their everyday lives. After describing various religious behaviors, the contributors consider the behaviors with reference to their evolutionary history, development during the lifetime of the individual, proximate causes, and adaptive value. Happily, this foray into understanding religion from a biobehavioral perspective demonstrates that, at the biological and behavioral levels, what unites the different religions of the world is far greater than what divides them

Biology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Tools

Open DOI