Human brain is naturally more comfortable believing

paarsurrey · #1 by **paarsurrey** » Mar 13, 2010 11:28 am

Hi friends

I present here an article from Nationa Post: Holy Post of Canada. Its title is "God's Brain: The neuroscience of devotion"
Posted: March 13, 2010, 5:38 AM by Daniel Kaszor

It is interesting'

“Prof. Tiger said he and Dr. McGuire were also compelled to look more deeply at religion because of the spate of books by such high-profile atheists as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, which were gaining huge readership for their anti-religious notions.

The main arguments of these writers is that no religion is backed up by scientific fact and therefore religious believers are deluded, if not outright morons.
“That was disrespectful and also not scientific,” Prof. Tiger said. “You can’t have a viable society in which 80% of adults are morons.”

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blog ... otion.aspx

Food for thought and discussion

hackenslash · #2 by **hackenslash** » Mar 13, 2010 11:40 am

Riiiight, so being credulous is comfortable...

Here's the thing, though. This argument is completely irrelevant with regard to whether the ludicrous beliefs of the credulous have an truth value. Further, I have yet to come across any citation by either Dawkins or Hitchens that suggests that the credulous are morons. Only that they're credulous. As for deluded, I have no problem with that, since any claim to experience of that which does not exist is by definition a delusion.

Occam's Laser · #3 by **Occam's Laser** » Mar 13, 2010 11:48 am

Being drunk, most of the time, is more comfortable than being sober. Therefore...

cateye · #4 by **cateye** » Mar 13, 2010 11:52 am

Ohhh! I should immediatly start believing all sort of crap, since it's more comfortable to not ask questions.... Wait! I'd rather smoke some pot

natselrox · #5 by **natselrox** » Mar 13, 2010 12:22 pm

You know what's most comforting of them all?

The thought that you are a rich Saudi prince with a dozen beautiful girls at your helm...

Animavore · #6 by **Animavore** » Mar 13, 2010 12:26 pm

Twaddle. I never believed in the supernatural at any stage in my life. In fact, believers make me uncomfortable. This goes directly against your argument. When I see someone closing their eyes, raising their hands in the air and crying out to the ceiling I think to myself What... in blazes name... is he at?
When I see someone in front of a wall gyrating or going down on their knees while making lots of weird postures I want to go up to them, tap them on the shoulder and say What the hell are you at? Is there something wrong here? Do you need and ambulance?

Nebogipfel · #7 by **Nebogipfel** » Mar 13, 2010 12:34 pm

paarsurrey wrote:
The main arguments of these writers is that no religion is backed up by scientific fact and therefore religious believers are deluded, if not outright morons.

That is a gross oversimplification, at least as far as Dawkins is concerned.

“That was disrespectful and also not scientific,” Prof. Tiger said. “You can’t have a viable society in which 80% of adults are morons.”

How does he explain the existence of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here?

95Theses · #8 by **95Theses** » Mar 13, 2010 12:38 pm

I think this article is interesting because it helps to explain why some outwardly intelligent people believe so strongly in what are essentially fairy tales.

There is a part of their brain making them behave like that.

What I'd be interested to know is wether there is an evolutionary advantage during humans development for this, or if it's just a byproduct of the pathway down which conciousness evolved.

Animavore · #9 by **Animavore** » Mar 13, 2010 12:41 pm

95Theses wrote:I think this article is interesting because it helps to explain why some outwardly intelligent people believe so strongly in what are essentially fairy tales.

There is a part of their brain making them behave like that.

What I'd be interested to know is wether there is an evolutionary advantage during humans development for this, or if it's just a byproduct of the pathway down which conciousness evolved.

Do I then lack that part of the brain and given that the majority have it am I then... less human :shock:

?

natselrox · **#10** by **natselrox** » Mar 13, 2010 12:46 pm

Animavore wrote:Do I then lack that part of the brain and given that the majority have it am I then... less human ?

You had a doubt? :grin:

95Theses · **#11** by **95Theses** » Mar 13, 2010 12:47 pm

Animavore wrote:
95Theses wrote:I think this article is interesting because it helps to explain why some outwardly intelligent people believe so strongly in what are essentially fairy tales.

There is a part of their brain making them behave like that.

What I'd be interested to know is wether there is an evolutionary advantage during humans development for this, or if it's just a byproduct of the pathway down which conciousness evolved.

Do I then lack that part of the brain and given that the majority have it am I then... less human ?

I don't have it either.

To be honest I just skimmed this article, I'm assuming it relates to one I read properly in New scientist that talks about how certain people seem to have a 'God section' to their brain and others simply don't, they were arguing that the effect is so widespread that perhaps scientists should be studying Atheists brains instead of the many studies being done to look at the deluded's brains.

I think the big question is, if this magical sky wizard does exist, way has he seen fit to not give me and you the ability to believe in him in the face of a stunning lack of evidence, whereas others seem to be built to just believe any old horsesht myths they are told.

Hardly fair is it? especially if we get punished for not believing in these ridiculous myths in the afterlife.

ymitchell · **#12** by **ymitchell** » Mar 13, 2010 12:51 pm

"What you need is a gramme of soma. All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects"

chairman bill · **#13** by **chairman bill** » Mar 13, 2010 12:55 pm

“Churches will take a source of personal turbulence and then turn it into vulnerability and then exploit that vulnerability,” Prof. Tiger says. “On the other hand, if you’re trying to operate an effective system, you look for where your strong points are and where the people you’re trying to systematize are most vulnerable.”

As I've said many times before, the church preys (sic) on the vulnerable. And the so-called 'Good News' of christianity is only a message of hope once it has imposed its message of despair; it is fundamentally an evil, morally corrupt & morally corrupting creed.

cateye · **#14** by **cateye** » Mar 13, 2010 12:55 pm

natselrox wrote:
Animavore wrote:Do I then lack that part of the brain and given that the majority have it am I then... less human ?

You had a doubt?

[BATOUS VOICE]You’re treated like other humans, so stop with the angst. [/BATOUS VOICE]
[KUSANAGIS VOICE]But that’s just it, that’s the only thing that makes me feel human. The way I’m treated. I mean, who knows what’s inside our heads? Have you ever seen your own brain? [/KUSANAGIS VOICE]

:mrgreen:

katja z · **#15** by **katja z** » Mar 13, 2010 8:22 pm

paarsurrey, I actually posted the link to an interview with Lionel Tiger a few days ago. Well, since the discussion seems to be here, I'd love to ask you a question:

Are you, as a believer, comfortable with Lionel Tiger's views on religion? Doesn't he belittle your belief by suggesting that it is basically an equivalent of a Prozac pill - not something big and important, but just something to give you an extra dose of serotonin?

Mac_Guffin · **#16** by **Mac_Guffin** » Mar 13, 2010 8:24 pm

The mind is always more at ease when it's deluded. The same goes for shooting heroin.

thomasac13 · **#17** by **thomasac13** » Mar 13, 2010 8:36 pm

cateye wrote:
natselrox wrote:
Animavore wrote:Do I then lack that part of the brain and given that the majority have it am I then... less human ?

You had a doubt?

[BATOUS VOICE]You’re treated like other humans, so stop with the angst. [/BATOUS VOICE]
[KUSANAGIS VOICE]But that’s just it, that’s the only thing that makes me feel human. The way I’m treated. I mean, who knows what’s inside our heads? Have you ever seen your own brain? [/KUSANAGIS VOICE]

Kusanagi mode

our whole body, our whole brain have been cybernizated all that remains of our humanity is our thoughts of being human

/Kusanagi mode

(this is paraphrasing from the first film move, so sorry if I'm wrong

Shrunk · **#18** by **Shrunk** » Mar 13, 2010 9:05 pm

It should be pointed out that paarsurrey has carefully selected a quote that gives the mistaken impression that the authors support religious beliefs as valid. A fuller reading reveals this not to be the case. For instance:

“We wanted to understand the mechanism in the brain that fosters religion,” Prof. Tiger said during a stop in Toronto. “We’re really interested in what is going on in humans that stimulates, permits and codifies the endurance of religion. It’s a major scientific mystery. Our intent was to describe what might animate and support this notion of the sacred in such a complex set of different societies and circumstances.”

He said the title was meant to suggest that the brain might actually be God’s instrument. Though Prof. Tiger does not believe in a divine presence — “I don’t live with the perception of a god over my shoulder” — he feels if there is a god, then the brain would be the instrument a god would have to use. “It can’t be the elbow or the pancreas,” he said. “The brain defines who we are.”

tytalus · **#19** by **tytalus** » Mar 13, 2010 9:41 pm

Each new instance of quote mining reveals just how fond paarsurrey is of the practice. However, the mods here seem content with the practice, so all we can do is continue to point it out.

On the subject of Ghost in the Shell, the second scene in this video is what cateye is talking about.

Careful with the volume though, the video is cut to end with some loud explosions.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHfs7OQ_Cwk[/youtube]

chairman bill · **#20** by **chairman bill** » Mar 13, 2010 9:45 pm

Shrunk wrote:It should be pointed out that paarsurrey has carefully selected a quote ...

Quote mining? Who'd have thought, eh? The quote I posted above also suggests a less than generous take on theism by Prof. Tiger.

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