Sublime

From a purely naturalistic viewpoint, we evolve whatever beliefs make sure we keep propagating the species. This means that any beliefs in the real existence of human rights, values and morality are ultimately an illusion.

A evolução favoreceu os atalhos de estímulo-resposta porque são vantajosos para o grupo: eles melhoram a aptidão do grupo, a sobrevivência do grupo e a reprodução.

If you think about religion as a set of beliefs about supernatural agents, you’re bound to misunderstand it. You’ll see those beliefs as foolish delusions, perhaps even as parasites that exploit our brains for their own benefit. But if you take a Durkheimian approach to religion (focusing on belonging) and a Darwinian approach to morality

Darwin proposed a series of “probable steps” by which humans evolved to the point where there could be groups of team players in the first place.

It’s a stunning statement. Dr. Marsden is saying that when we make decisions, we’re more likely to defer to the hive mind than to make a decision based entirely on our own thoughts and best interests. We don’t have beliefs so much as beliefs “have” us. Dr. Marsden continues:

In psychology there are at least two biases that drive this pattern. One is confirmation bias:23 seeing what we expect to see. The other is desirability bias:24 seeing what we want to see. These biases don’t just prevent us from applying our intelligence. They can actually contort our intelligence into a weapon against the truth.

The male mind appears to be innately tribal—that is, structured in advance of experience so that boys and men enjoy doing the sorts of things that lead to group cohesion and success in conflicts between groups (including warfare).20 The virtue of loyalty matters a great deal to both sexes, though the objects of loyalty tend to be teams and