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Worshipping Waterfalls: The Evolution of Belief

Worshipping Waterfalls: The Evolution of Belief

To The Best Of Our Knowledge vor 4 Jahren

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Podcast

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

50 Episoden

To The Best Of Our Knowledge is a nationally-syndicated, Peabody award-winning public radio show that dives headlong into the deeper end of ideas.

Gesellschaft & Kultur

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Jane Goodall has seen wild chimpanzees dance and bristle with
excitement around roaring waterfalls — and she thinks it’s an
experience of awe and wonder — and possibly a precursor to
animistic religion.

But can we ever know why our ancient human ancestors developed
spiritual beliefs? Can evolutionary science uncover the roots of
religion?

At some point our ancestors went from admiring waterfalls to
worshipping them - and all kinds of spirits and gods. They
developed sacred rituals and turned stones into totems. And then
came the Battle of the Gods.

This was produced in partnership with the Center for Humans
and Nature, an organization that brings together scholars from a
diversity of disciplines to think creatively about our
relationships with nature and each other. What do you think
evolution can tell us about love and morality? Share your
thoughts at humansandnature.org. This episode was made
possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation.

Original Air Date: May 14, 2017

Guests:

Jane Goodall — Laura Kehoe — Frans de
Waal — Barbara King — Ara
Norenzayan — Jeff Schloss — Andrew Newberg

Interviews In This Hour:

Do Chimpanzees Have Spiritual Experiences? — How 'Big
Gods' Transformed Human History — An Evolutionary
Biologist Searches for God — What Bliss Looks Like In
Your Brain — Are Morals a Part of Our Evolution?

Further Reading:

Center for Humans and Nature

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