Why Did We Evolve the Notion of God? (Creator, Darwin)

[Sunstone]

Why did humans evolve the notion of god -- that is, the notion of supernatural agency? When in our evolution did we evolve it?

Bonus Question: What do you think of Scott Atran's views on the evolutionary origin of the notion?

Please note: I do not wish to debate whether deity exists in this thread. That's a separate question. This thread assumes the notion of deity was a product of our evolution. Please make another thread if you wish to debate whether deity exists.

Do you think the notion of deity was selected for because it had one or more survival values? Or do you think, like Atran, that the notion was a by product of natural selection?

[angellous_evangellous]

God told us about God.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

God told us about God.

That's very speculative, isn't it?

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

That's very speculative, isn't it?

Nope.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by angellous_evangellous

Nope.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

Fine with me.

If we "evolved" the notion of god, and all any divinity "is" is a product of our thinking, that idea would be something less than the Creator of the Universe, Whom I understand to be God. This person must tell us of the divine existence.

[yossarian22]

We have an innate desire to create patterns, even where none exist.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by yossarian22

We have an innate desire to create patterns, even where none exist.

Very good point. I think we also tend to personify things. We ascribe personalities to them. For instance, we name our car and think of it as having a personality. There's not much of a leap from that to thinking the thunder has a personality and imagining that it's a god.