Conflict between science, religion lies in our brains

[struggle4progress]

March 23, 2016
Source: Case Western Reserve University

... In a series of eight experiments, the researchers found the more empathetic the person, the more likely he or she is religious ...

Atheists, the researchers found, are most closely aligned with psychopaths--not killers, but the vast majority of psychopaths classified as such due to their lack of empathy for others ...

The research is based on the hypothesis that the human brain has two opposing domains in constant tension. In earlier research, Jack 's Brain, Mind & Consciousness lab used functional magnetic resonance imaging to show the brain has an analytical network of neurons that enables us to think critically and a social network that enables us to empathize. When presented with a physics problem or ethical dilemma, a healthy brain fires up the appropriate network while suppressing the other ...

Friedman said, "Having empathy doesn't mean you necessarily have anti-scientific beliefs. Instead, our results suggest that if we only emphasize analytic reasoning and scientific beliefs, as the New Atheist movement suggests, then we are compromising our ability to cultivate a different type of thinking, namely social/moral insight" ...

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160323151838.htm

[rurallib]

1. manure for the garden, I would say.

and just in time for spring.

[skepticscott]

2. That must explain all of those catholic priests raping kids

and all of their superiors covering up and enabling child rape. And all of the faith healers and hucksters milking people for money. Overflowing with empathy, as anyone can tell.

And sheesh...is lying all anyone can do about "New Atheists"? if we only emphasize analytic reasoning and scientific beliefs, as the New Atheist movement suggests? I defy him to show us where the "New Atheist" movement "suggests" any such thing.

[struggle4progress]

4. One trick pony

[rug]

6. Actually, he managed a hat trick this time.

1. Child rape.

2. Religious huckters.

3 There is no such thing as "New Atheists".

Still adds up to zero, though.

[Cartoonist]

3. Balderdash!

Up until I was sixteen, I was religious. After that I wasn't. So did my brain get swapped out?

[struggle4progress]

5. The view of the researchers seems to be that there are several mutually inhibiting neural networks

In particular, they claim to have evidence that activating an analytical network inhibits an empathetic network and that activating this empathetic network inhibits the analytical network

I have no idea whether they are right, but the claim seems plausible: the brain consumes a lot of energy; and people often need to focus concentration to accomplish particular tasks; so perhaps there would be an advantage to being able to activate one network at the expense of another to accomplish the task immediately at hand

It might, of course, be possible that some individuals rather prefer using one of these networks to using the other. But I think the researchers' claim is not that individuals ultimately use only one of these networks, with the other inactive: it is that at any given moment, individuals activate one of these networks and suppress the other

[Albertoo]

7. A logical finding which brings no claim of merit to religion

People more naturally inclined toward empathy will gravitate more toward illusions offering peace and happiness for all. The problem being that such illusions (Communism, Religions, Utopias) have no real peace and happiness to offer, just claims to such in an hypothetical future world. But great are the powers of child indoctrination and social conformity.

[struggle4progress]

8. We're all looking forward to your research paper on the subject

I'd suggest "Empathy: a sign of weak-minded losers" as your title

[Albertoo]

9. That's straying from what I said, about an article straying from the benefits of religion

That's doubly distant from establishing any value to religion. I won't be dragged into a side controversy.

[Brettongarcia]

11. Congrats on the new $20 bill, Ms. Tubman

[struggle4progress]

12. Holly and Ronnie express my views pretty well

[Brettongarcia]

10. Sentimentalists are less intelligent, says research

Among other things, the quoted article says this:

'"A stream of research in cognitive psychology has shown and claims that people who have faith (i.e., are religious or spiritual) are not as smart as others. They actually might claim they are less intelligent.," said Richard Boyatzis, distinguished university professor and professor of organizational behavior at Case Western Reserve, and a member of Jack's team.

"Our studies confirmed that statistical relationship, but at the same time showed that people with faith are more prosocial '.

[AtheistCrusader]

13. I do like my cofffee black as the depths of space.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-coffee-psychopath_us_561baf08e4b0dbb8000f150f