Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural PhenomenonThe New York Times bestseller – a “crystal-clear, constantly engaging” (Jared Diamond) exploration of the role that religious belief plays in our lives and our interactions For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have attempted to examine it scientifically: to ask why—and how—it has shaped so many lives so strongly. Is religion a product of blind evolutionary instinct or rational choice? Is it truly the best way to live a moral life? Ranging through biology, history, and psychology, Daniel C. Dennett charts religion’s evolution from “wild” folk belief to “domesticated” dogma. Not an antireligious screed but an unblinking look beneath the veil of orthodoxy, Breaking the Spell will be read and debated by believers and skeptics alike. |
Contents
Some Questions About Science | |
Why Good Things Happen | |
The Roots of Religion | |
Religion the Early Days | |
The Evolution of Stewardship | |
The Invention of Team Spirit | |
Belief in Belief | |
Morality and Religion | |
Now What Do We | |
A The New Replicators | |
B Some More Questions About Science | |
The Bellboy and the Lady Named Tuck | |
Kim Philby as a Real Case of Indeterminacy of Radical | |
Notes | |
Bibliography | |
Other editions - View all
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon Daniel Clement Dennett No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
actually ancestors animals answer arguments become behavior believe benefits better biology brains century chapter Christianity claim consider copying course created cultural Dennett depends discussion don’t effects evidence evolution evolutionary evolved exist experience explain fact faith further genes genetic give groups happen hard human idea important individual instance intentional interesting keep language less lives look matter mean memes mind moral natural never noted object observed obvious once organizations Oxford perhaps person phenomena political possible practices problem question reason recent religion religious replication response rituals scientific scientists selection sense social sort species story sure tell theory things thousands tradition true truth turn understand University Press York