Are humans hardwired to believe in something greater?

[jeager106]

Without going into citing scientific research I will just say that I was watching a t-v show in which scientist that study the brain via the latest electronic devices have suggested that humans are hardwired to seek out or believe in something all powerful, something greater than mankind.
If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth.
That premise could explain why all cultures tend to believe in something greater than man.
Just off hand I know of no culture, going back in history as far as we are able, that doesn't believe in something greater than man.
Thoughts on that?
No one can know everything thus we have the ability to create communications devices like computers that led to places like this one where almost anyone, anywhere, can communicate and exchange thoughts.
I'm most interested in what you have to say. Consider this topic open to anyone, athiest, statists, agnostics, even Catholics.
That was a bit of wit, not a bash. Nit wit if you like.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth.

And if it is not true that God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth. Therefore?

 

[George-ananda]

In my thinking, our core is all One consciousness. We have a natural pull to this core that won't end until we realize our Oneness.

Our natural preoccupation with our physical relative reality can only temporarily distract us from this pull.

 

[jeager106]

And if it is not true that God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth. Therefore?

Therefore?
I don't know, ergo the questions. I hunger for knowledge of things spiritual ( and scientific as well, is there really a difference?).
I appreciated opinions of others who are walking the same path.
We seem to be hardwired to fear the dark, to survive. Perhaps this is Junginan Archetype? A throwback to when our ancestors feared the saber toothed tiger that lurked in the darkness hunting a meal?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Therefore?
I don't know, ergo the questions. I hunger for knowledge of things spiritual ( and scientific as well, is there really a difference?).
I appreciated opinions of others who are walking the same path.
We seem to be hardwired to fear the dark, to survive. Perhaps this is Junginan Archetype? A throwback to when our ancestors feared the saber toothed tiger that lurked in the darkness hunting a meal?

OK, but I still do not understand what import you attach to …

"If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth."

​

… since it seems to add nothing to the OP.

 

[Robert.Evans]

Without going into citing scientific research I will just say that I was watching a t-v show in which scientist that study the brain via the latest electronic devices have suggested that humans are hardwired to seek out or believe in something all powerful, something greater than mankind.
If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth.
That premise could explain why all cultures tend to believe in something greater than man.
Just off hand I know of no culture, going back in history as far as we are able, that doesn't believe in something greater than man.
Thoughts on that?
No one can know everything thus we have the ability to create communications devices like computers that led to places like this one where almost anyone, anywhere, can communicate and exchange thoughts.
I'm most interested in what you have to say. Consider this topic open to anyone, athiest, statists, agnostics, even Catholics.
That was a bit of wit, not a bash. Nit wit if you like.

According to the Gnostic Scriptures, we are hardwired to seek the Father yes.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Without going into citing scientific research I will just say that I was watching a t-v show in which scientist that study the brain via the latest electronic devices have suggested that humans are hardwired to seek out or believe in something all powerful, something greater than mankind.
If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth.
That premise could explain why all cultures tend to believe in something greater than man.
Just off hand I know of no culture, going back in history as far as we are able, that doesn't believe in something greater than man.
Thoughts on that?
No one can know everything thus we have the ability to create communications devices like computers that led to places like this one where almost anyone, anywhere, can communicate and exchange thoughts.
I'm most interested in what you have to say. Consider this topic open to anyone, athiest, statists, agnostics, even Catholics.
That was a bit of wit, not a bash. Nit wit if you like.

Like so many things, that would be consistent with there being a creator, and humans being the primary purpose of his creation.

 

[Storm]

Without going into citing scientific research I will just say that I was watching a t-v show in which scientist that study the brain via the latest electronic devices have suggested that humans are hardwired to seek out or believe in something all powerful, something greater than mankind.
If God created Adam and Eve it might be that we could conclude that we are hardwired to believe in a Creator more powerful and all knowing that gave us life on this earth.
That premise could explain why all cultures tend to believe in something greater than man.
Just off hand I know of no culture, going back in history as far as we are able, that doesn't believe in something greater than man.
Thoughts on that?
No one can know everything thus we have the ability to create communications devices like computers that led to places like this one where almost anyone, anywhere, can communicate and exchange thoughts.
I'm most interested in what you have to say. Consider this topic open to anyone, athiest, statists, agnostics, even Catholics.
That was a bit of wit, not a bash. Nit wit if you like.

I find "believe in something all powerful" is an unjustifiable reach, but I've studied enough to claim that we're hardwired to perceive and seek to understand something much greater than not merely ourselves, but the entire physical reality we move in.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

To assume Agency is to be less likely to be eaten by lions.

 

[jeager106]

To assume Agency is to be less likely to be eaten by lions.

Please expalin above^^ as I don't understand the message.
There must be a message, lest you would no have posted it.

 

[jeager106]

I find "believe in something all powerful" is an unjustifiable reach, but I've studied enough to claim that we're hardwired to perceive and seek to understand something much greater than not merely ourselves, but the entire physical reality we move in.

What you said is exactly what I asked. How can that be an "unjustifiable reach:"?
Do we need to justify our inquisitive nature?

 

[Storm]

To assume Agency is to be less likely to be eaten by lions.

Definitely a factor.

Please expalin above^^ as I don't understand the message.
There must be a message, lest you would no have posted it.

It's a reference to Guthrie's posited spandrel in the evolutionary origins of religion.

The classic explanation is that if a caveman heard rustling in the grass around the waterhole, he could assume that it was caused by the wind or an unseen, stalking lion. If he assumed wrongly that it was a lion, he might go thirsty, but he lived to drink again. If he assumed wrongly the wind, he got eaten. In this way, evolution selected for the attribution of agency when there's no agent to be seen.

What you said is exactly what I asked. How can that be an "unjustifiable reach:"?
Do we need to justify our inquisitive nature?

1) You asked if we're wired not merely to ask, but to answer in the affirmative. It's a crucial distinction.

2) You specified not just belief, but belief in "something all-powerful" which is far beyond what our wiring compels.

So no, it's not exactly the same, as those specific points took the question too far. But if we omit them, the answer is absolutely, yes.

 

[Storm]

Like so many things, that would be consistent with there being a creator,

It would also be consistent with a purely material reality wherein weird **** just happens precisely because nobody's even looking.

and humans being the primary purpose of his creation.

Consistent, I suppose, but only in the sense that it isn't outright contradictory. Still, there's certainly no justification, let alone support for that addendum.

 

[Valjean]

We're hardwired for all sorts of pareidolia and agent-detection errors. They're selective -- or were. Falsely attributing agency in a twig snap costs little, but dismissing the possibility could get you eaten by a cave bear. Erring on the side of caution got us through the Pleistocene.

Today we're still hard-wired with a hunter-gatherer psychology, but in a civilization some aspects of this have become maladaptive, or spandrels, at best.

 

[Nakosis]

I'm thinking it is so, in the sense that we need some authority in order to promote continuity of the species. We need the authority of someone so we can all accept the same rules as a society.

We hold these truth to be self evident out of necessity, not out of fact. Some folks may even believe they have the authority of God. Whatever truth your going to use to convince other folks to live according to the same rules.

Without this, limited possibility of survival. Whatever greater thing which gets promoted allows us to come together with common goals as a society.

Religious folks in the past survived not because of their Gods but because of the unity their belief brought about. They survived and handed that trait genetically/culturally to their offspring.

Those that didn't believe in something greater then themselves probably didn't survive well to pass such traits on.

 

[Kolibri]

Jesus would have us believe there is an inherent need.

"Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, (or "those who are beggars for the spirit.") since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them." - Matthew 5:3

Here is another verse that suggests a inherent longing for more time and more exploration that satisfies:

"He has made everything beautiful (or "well-arranged; proper; appropriate.") in its time. He has even put eternity in their heart; yet mankind will never find out the work that the true God has made from start to finish." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

[jeager106]

Kolibri: You're one of J.Ws? Really cool. I've recently begun a home study with a married couple & their children, much to the disapproval of my fiance who was raised Catholic but is now a member of a non-denominational chruch.
Well, poor thing, needs to open her mind a bit hey?

Strom: Well, well, the things I learn from you. I'm so happy I ran into the board and have met so many intelligent, caring, loving, people, who are at least a tad brighter than I. It's a good thing to learn from people one respects for intellect and knowledge.
I'm a tiny bit brighter than average ( I'm told by shrinks ) and being smart around some people that are not gets one into a pickle sometimes.
I'm sure many here understand the ignorance & animosity of some people.
I get it that my question went a bit far from what I intended.
So had I asked "are we hardwired to believe in an entity greater than man" the answer from most of you would be a yes?
O.K. it's as I suspected and have read from other sources.
Another question on a similar note.
Archetype.
I hunt and fish. I'm getting older & a bit crippled up but still have the desire to take game and eat it.
I'm a basic type "A" personality, being a bit weak in patience, yet I have sat in a tree stand for hours not moving a muscle. Sucessfully I might add. I have a buck in the top 50 archery kills in Ohio ever.
The history of archery is the history of modern man.
That said, I suspect we might be hardwired to hunt, gather, survive. Is archetype
behavior also considered hardwired into our brains?

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Didn't Richard Dawkins write about this? I'll see if I can find the reference.

 

[Cephus]

Humans are hard-wired to seek answers, we don't like not knowing and that has led primitive humans to simply invent answers when the real answers are not immediately readily apparent. As we've evolved though and become more rational, or at least had the ability to be more rational, people have started to realize that simple emotional discomfort over not knowing isn't sufficient to adopt or invent emotionally comforting answers. Just because our brains are wired a certain way, that doesn't mean we can't over-ride that wiring with the intellect that we've evolved.

 

[Storm]

Strom: Well, well, the things I learn from you. I'm so happy I ran into the board and have met so many intelligent, caring, loving, people, who are at least a tad brighter than I. It's a good thing to learn from people one respects for intellect and knowledge.

Thank you kindly.

So had I asked "are we hardwired to believe in an entity greater than man" the answer from most of you would be a yes?

Yes, mostly.

Entity is unnecessarily specific as well. Not so much as to warrant correction if we were discussing anything but the evolutionary origins, but in this context it does skip ahead a bit. It's thought that the earliest 'religions' were a kind of animistic ancestor worship. There was likely very little in the way of doctrine, but ritual would have been incredibly important.

O.K. it's as I suspected and have read from other sources.
Another question on a similar note.
Archetype.
I hunt and fish. I'm getting older & a bit crippled up but still have the desire to take game and eat it.
I'm a basic type "A" personality, being a bit weak in patience, yet I have sat in a tree stand for hours not moving a muscle. Sucessfully I might add. I have a buck in the top 50 archery kills in Ohio ever.
The history of archery is the history of modern man.
That said, I suspect we might be hardwired to hunt, gather, survive. Is archetype
behavior also considered hardwired into our brains?

I don't quite understand what you're asking me.