GOOD POINT still thinking.... seriously!
One interesting thing about evolution is that everything evolves IF its a benefit within the enviroment. This efficient process for progress is not just limited to nature, it is being used in technology, psychology, logic etc.... Once you appreciate the concept of evolution you see it EVERYWHERE !
Man I knew, I should have gone to bed....
Ok, so Game theory by Mr Nash is interesting, it works in many areas of life, but made famous by economics. Nash theory states that "What is good for the group is good for the individual and likewise what is good for the individual is good for the group." You may remember this from the film 'A Beautiful Mind' as it is about Nash, the inventor of this theory.
This therory is also very interesting and applicable to evolution, paticularly group behaviour and psychology. We see it in animals, if one animal in a pack steals all the food, it isnt good for the rest of the group and therefore isnt good for the individual.
We see it in humans, morals, laws etc... when people say without the bible we would have no morals, they are ignorant to the survival of mankind PRIOR to the bible, not to mention the end of slavery, incest, genocide, stoning etc AFTER the very 'moral' bible. So what are these ancient morals based on? Not to kill, not to steal, not to harm.... Nash's Game theory ! What is good for the group is good for the individual !! We evolved to feel good when we do good and bad when we do bad. We know this is the case and can see when it goes wrong, please watch ....
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jim_fallon_exploring_the_mind_of_a_killer.html
I am doing a very quick version of this so please read more in your own time :) Ok..... so why has the world in unison NOT invented and believed in unicorns (formed in mythical stories for enertainment) ...because its not that beneficial to the group or the individual..... what about your god invention? How come that is all over the place? Is it beneficial to the group and the individual....... did it inspire fear that rinforced natural laws of doing no harm, not killing, not stealing.... yes it did! Did it inspire by reward the doing of good and protecting the group and therefore the individual? Do good and you get paradise/heaven..... yes it did !!! Early gods were providers, providers of children, fertility gods. Providers of sunlight, water etc... These were all about need too. We asked for their provision in exchange for worship. Provision of justice in exchange for worship became more important, the bigger our social interactions got and the larger our society.
We have a natural desire for justice, without it we would steal eachothers food and women as some non pack animals do. As a very social society we have natural laws, governed roughly on Nash theory. Some might say it was inevitable or essential to our growth that we invented all these gods.
So does this explain the proliferation of religion over unicorns in the world ! I really think it does
Snare x
P.s. I feel like I have done a bum job on this question, but felt compelled to answer. I hope you see the point I am trying to make. It required more than one explination to get there. Also this is an area I hope to write about in the future as there are no experts in the field for the evolution of religion. Dawkins knows his biology and so naturally writes about that..... not many bishops wish to talk about the evolution of religion and why humans felt they needed it !
There is so much you need to examine and the questions will come to you naturally. As a wild random example, I assumed at one point in my research that maybe god initiated evolution and that at the point that our ancestors became 'human' god got involved, here the Genesis account and forming of an Adam (first man) took place. But then I read about the lives of early man, it was horrendous. They were dying on average at age 25, they were mostly starving, their teeth rotten so much that this was the primary cause of death. The neanderthals were starving also and killed each other in cannibalistic manners, we even know their last known residence, it being a cave maze in Cyprus. You can still see where they had their last fire oven. The bones of these neandethals were cut at muscle insertion points by weapons, therefore we know they were cannibalistic.
Keep in mind these early humans had language, trade, homes, tools, weapons, clothing etc... Neandethals too ! Before long the idea of a god watching this horrid life play out in front of him for hundreds of thousands of years without doing a thing until Adam made no sense.
This is an example of the information I have gathered and conclusions I have reached. So hence I say evidence for no god, I appreciate I throw it off the tounge a little to easily, but I assure you it is with a mass of personally acumilated evidence. All I can suggest is that others go look and decide for themselves too. I woukd hate for people to think that I pushed a belief system onto other people, I really dont intend that. I just hope to promote research and reading.
Snare x
Sorry for the long replies and the no doubt dodgy typos, also I really must dissapear now. Cofty, New Chapter and Ziddina are VERY informed on these topics and you should ask them if you have any questions. I have exams starting in just over a week and I will have to pry myself away from this forum. This information can change your life, so please dont refrain from asking. ill be back in 6 weeks or so. All the best xxx
Also, N.Drew... spirituality is a feeling, dont forget I had it too. I also get it when I look at the stars, when I see a cell in a microscope, or even the complexity of cancer. It is not attributed to god, but self grown appreciation for marvelous and interesting things. When we look at the stars we see infinity... that feeling is us recognising our humanity... when I see a cancer cell explained or the inner workings or a mitrochindria, that feeling is also one of wonder and a recognition of out limited humanity. None of these things equate to god... though they used to.
Define spirituality? The WT stole it and turned it into a gauge of commitment. It is nothing of the sort, it is a state of humble wonder. To me anyway. Is it a suprise that feeling is often felt with the belief of an all seeing all knowing creator of the universe ? Especially when one tells oneself that he cares about you, that he is communicating with you that he wants to interact with YOU! It is the same feeling as looking up into the sky, wonder and humility.
