Book description
There is no bigger subject than the new science of religion. The
God Instinct is a surprising and original take on why we believe in
God -- and how this belief led to our success as a species. Why does
even the most committed atheist turn to God when a family member falls
seriously ill, or they find themselves in close personal danger? Using
the latest scientific evidence, Jesse Bering explores how people's
everyday thoughts, behaviours and emotions betray an innate tendency
to reason as though God were deeply invested in their public lives and
secret affairs. In this entertaining and thought-provoking book, he
argues that this religious reflex is not an irrational aberration, and
that God is not a cultural invention or an existential band-aid, but
an intrinsic human trait, developed over millennia, that carries
powerful evolutionary benefits. Breaking new ground, The God Instinct
uses hard science to show that God is not a delusion, but a
sophisticated cognitive illusion. Bering reveals the roots of religion
in our ability to think beyond our immediate surroundings, and
explains why this capacity for belief sets us apart from other
animals. From a respected psychologist and awardwinning columnist,
this is the only book to explain belief in God from a scientific
perspective. Jesse Bering not only presents serious ideas in an
accessible and engaging way, but also takes a more considered,
rational approach than the extreme views so often found on either side
of the great debate.
