tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240273115805452525.post1254434144092822766..comments2009-10-12T10:14:20.999-04:00Ajita Kamalnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240273115805452525.post-36467437398405050072008-10-17T03:29:00.000-04:002008-10-17T03:29:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the comments both of you. Christine, Dennett is superb, I'm sure you'll like his ideas. He uses metaphor so effectively to put his point across. <BR/>Chris, I've been meaning to get to Atran's book. I do know that Dennett does not conclude that religions don't serve any evolutionary functions. His take is a bit more nuanced than that- religion may have served some evolutionary function

Ajitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16099585722080422613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240273115805452525.post-60189926474783749682008-10-15T23:57:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:57:00.000-04:00

Anyone interested in this topic should read Scott Atran's "In Gods We Trust".<BR/><BR/>His treatment of the topic is the most research-based of anyone's. His conclusion is in line with Dennett's, that religions aren't adaptations and serve no evolutionary functions.

Chris Harrisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383092030160768244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240273115805452525.post-28698536803352549322008-10-15T23:20:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

Excellent Article! I'm currently reading Dennett's "Breaking the Spell" and am very interested in the current arguments being explored regarding the relationship between evolution and religion. I come to all this from first hand experience and a more casual humanities perspective on religion, yet this type of discussion is exactly what I'm drawn to. Thanks for tackling this and publishing your

Christine Vyrnonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15125525692093575724noreply@blogger.com