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The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life by Jesse Bering
thehappybooker's review against another edition
5.0
I've been pondering the issues in this book for many years, and I may finally have stumbled on a book with new insights. This is a book selection for a skeptics discussion group.
Thoughts:
(1) ABBA's song "Knowing me, knowing you" kept going through my head while reading this book. That's what the essence is: we know ourselves, and when we observe others act or react, we project our motives onto them. This is called the theory of mind.
(2) This "theory of mind" is also at work when people assign motives and intentionality to a deity that they imagine is behind an act of physics or disease. Example: "I was spared for a reason."
(3) Projecting meaning onto random occurrences gives people a feeling of control over the uncontrollable, and it also gives most people a great sense of comfort that their lives have purpose and are more than just one-in-7-billion, accidental, biological, temporary, insignificant. (I'm perfectly ok with the fact that the universe is entirely indifferent to my existence, but I know I'm definitely a statistical outlier when it comes to being ok with obscurity and meaninglessness. I believe in meanings, not Meaning).
(4) When people talk to their computers or their cars, they know the difference between fantasy and reality. They know they aren't really talking to a living, conscious being. Then why do people lose that ability to tell real from fiction when it comes to angels, elves, UFOs and gods? Because from an evolutionary standpoint, it would be helpful to have a powerful ally against things that go bump in the night.
(5) We are deeply hardwired to see patterns of meaning, whether they actually exist or not. This has kept members of our species alive when we see patterns that reveal danger, but sometimes it works against us - that is where superstition comes from. We are hardwired to be superstitious. Much as we'd like to believe we're perfectly rational at all times, there are times when the scared child in us hides under the blankets.
I've read elsewhere that autistic people are less likely to believe in God than the rest of the population. Maybe this is because they don't possess a theory of mind, which infers motivations to the actions of others. If they can't attribute states of mind to other beings (people, dogs, or deities), they don't see a reason to assign intentionality to physical phenomenon or coincidence. This sounds like a perfect subject for neuroscientific research.
Highly recommended. I also recommend "When God Talks Back" - the evangelical Christian experience as described by an anthropologist.
Thoughts:
(1) ABBA's song "Knowing me, knowing you" kept going through my head while reading this book. That's what the essence is: we know ourselves, and when we observe others act or react, we project our motives onto them. This is called the theory of mind.
(2) This "theory of mind" is also at work when people assign motives and intentionality to a deity that they imagine is behind an act of physics or disease. Example: "I was spared for a reason."
(3) Projecting meaning onto random occurrences gives people a feeling of control over the uncontrollable, and it also gives most people a great sense of comfort that their lives have purpose and are more than just one-in-7-billion, accidental, biological, temporary, insignificant. (I'm perfectly ok with the fact that the universe is entirely indifferent to my existence, but I know I'm definitely a statistical outlier when it comes to being ok with obscurity and meaninglessness. I believe in meanings, not Meaning).
(4) When people talk to their computers or their cars, they know the difference between fantasy and reality. They know they aren't really talking to a living, conscious being. Then why do people lose that ability to tell real from fiction when it comes to angels, elves, UFOs and gods? Because from an evolutionary standpoint, it would be helpful to have a powerful ally against things that go bump in the night.
(5) We are deeply hardwired to see patterns of meaning, whether they actually exist or not. This has kept members of our species alive when we see patterns that reveal danger, but sometimes it works against us - that is where superstition comes from. We are hardwired to be superstitious. Much as we'd like to believe we're perfectly rational at all times, there are times when the scared child in us hides under the blankets.
I've read elsewhere that autistic people are less likely to believe in God than the rest of the population. Maybe this is because they don't possess a theory of mind, which infers motivations to the actions of others. If they can't attribute states of mind to other beings (people, dogs, or deities), they don't see a reason to assign intentionality to physical phenomenon or coincidence. This sounds like a perfect subject for neuroscientific research.
Highly recommended. I also recommend "When God Talks Back" - the evangelical Christian experience as described by an anthropologist.
bootman's review against another edition
5.0
I've read hundreds of books on psychology, but Jesse Bering is regularly able to take on subjects in a completely unique way. I love books from skeptics and learning why people believe in God or the supernatural, and sometimes the studies are repetitive as well as the way their written about. This is my second book I've read of Bering's, and again, the brings so many new perspectives and studies while also intertwining some personal anecdotes. Not only did this book teach me more about the psychology of why people believe, but it opened my mind to better understand why people search for meaning in meaningless events and get stuck on the idea of having a purpose in life. If you're interested in this subject, you definitely need this book.
eroston's review against another edition
I read @hangingnoodles' annotated copy. I will never again read a book that he hasn't scrawled in first.
moonwisdom's review against another edition
3.0
I gave this three stars because while the science is fascinating and really informative, I disagree with many of the conclusions that the author draws from the science. I think it's a bit presumptuous for him to write as if the science proves that there's no afterlife, God, etc., even though those are his beliefs and he is perfectly entitled to hold them. All of that said, his ideas about suffering having no inherent meaning and life events not happening for a reason are liberating and, I think, important. All in all, even though I wasn't in agreement with every idea in this book, it expanded my perspectives and made me think. Because of that, I believe I am a better person and thinker for having read it.
eserafina42's review against another edition
4.0
The Belief Instinct is a compelling look at the biological origins of such things as belief in God, the afterlife, and divine punishment. Many of these things, the author argues, are due to our evolution of a "theory of mind," which allows us to assume that others think and feel as we do and put ourselves into their heads. Although Bering himself is a non-believer, this book should be interesting to those of every religious stripe or none, since, as he points out, the believe can always argue that these instincts, which appear to be unique to human beings, have been provided to us by God to allow us to intuit His existence and nature.
bristoni74's review against another edition
5.0
This book puts forward the theory that human's belief in God has led to our success as a species. What I enjoyed about this author is his more balanced and sensible approach than the extreme views of someone like Richard Dawkins who is just a fundamentalist of a different kind. The author sees religion as a cultural construct but the belief in God (or something similar) as very different. He demonstrates through "theory of mind, how even non-believers we still turn to God to cope when dealing with death (our own and others), serious illness or tragedy. He explains how "theory of mind" enables us to find and apply meaning in our lives and reduce anxiety, whether it is those who thought that a flood was a punishment from God or when someone close to us passes we look for "signs" of them watching over us. This quote about a natural disaster was gold! "Yes God killed many people, acknowledged believers. But "praise Jesus", he spared a lot of lives too...namely theirs". This is a very accessible read and I found it one of the best books I have read that articulates so well our ability to self-reflect, plan and find meaning outside our immediate self. And coming to terms with our mortality can be difficult - which is why God is so important in many people's lives.
nwhyte's review against another edition
4.0
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3015978.html
It's a short and breezy exploration of the psychology of belief - not as wearyingly hostile as Richard Dawkins, but equally taking it for granted that there is no "there" there. I was particularly drawn into the first few chapters' exploration of theory of mind - our ability to attribute mental states to others and to adapt our behaviour to take others' mental states into account. This is one of the things that makes us human - not just that we have a greater cognitive ability than other animals, but that we treat each other as fellow individuals. Bering makes a strong argument that belief in God, or in the supernatural, is a natural development from the fact that we have theory of mind, and therefore is to an extent an evolutionary adaptation to cope with our intelligence and social natures. He then ranges around the areas of philosophy, psychology and organised religion with a bit less impact, but he has set up the argument well enough (and the book is short enough) that I enjoyed following it though to the end. I must read more of his books, which include Why is the Penis Shaped Like That? and Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us.
It's a short and breezy exploration of the psychology of belief - not as wearyingly hostile as Richard Dawkins, but equally taking it for granted that there is no "there" there. I was particularly drawn into the first few chapters' exploration of theory of mind - our ability to attribute mental states to others and to adapt our behaviour to take others' mental states into account. This is one of the things that makes us human - not just that we have a greater cognitive ability than other animals, but that we treat each other as fellow individuals. Bering makes a strong argument that belief in God, or in the supernatural, is a natural development from the fact that we have theory of mind, and therefore is to an extent an evolutionary adaptation to cope with our intelligence and social natures. He then ranges around the areas of philosophy, psychology and organised religion with a bit less impact, but he has set up the argument well enough (and the book is short enough) that I enjoyed following it though to the end. I must read more of his books, which include Why is the Penis Shaped Like That? and Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us.