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The Belief Instinct

the Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life
roaddogg09
May 10, 2011roaddogg09 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I wasn't sure what to think when I got it. It seemed like all of the other books out there that proclaim to explain why we believe in supernatural entities. "The Belief Instinct" has to be one of my favorite books on the topic. As becomes apparent, Bering's purpose isn't to prove or disprove certain religious beliefs or claims, but to explain why we have such beliefs in the first place. His whole argument rests on a 'theory of mind,' or being able to think about what others are thinking. Starting with a nice story to do with Philosopher Daniel Dennett, Bering lays the ground work and expands his concept to other domains, including the belief in souls, destiny, and the overall meaning of life. Bering uses studies from many of the sciences to provide examples for his claims. I gained a lot from "The Belief Instinct." As an atheist, I am interested in what makes people so inclined to accept supernatural claims. Our brains evolved to be susceptible to supernatural claims, and through culture, these manifest as the religions we see today. I cannot recommend this enough!