Does Daniel Dennett Try To Properly Present The Religion As The Natural Phenomenon?

Religion and belief explained by evolutionary theory according to Dennett

Does Daniel Dennett try to properly present the Religion as the Natural Phenomenon?

Daniel Dennett tries to properly present the Religion as the Natural Phenomenon in his book. One amongst his arguments is the existence of the religion plus the belief within the god could be described by the evolutionary theory, a meme which is really caught as well as is held on. Dennett’ loom is also emphatically scientific because he also considers religion like a ‘natural phenomenon’ plus not as divinely inspired by the super-natural institution which is so vast held for being beyond the scientific enquiry (Ahmed and Luk). The theory is in reality totally devoted to just justification of the loom as Dennett that worries that his audience might find this inappropriate and irrelevant otherwise even dangerous. On fact that the author like to explore is that whether it is a good thing that people have religion or it is just a benign, otherwise possibly too bad. Scientific testing, as author suggests is a way to do and perform such facts. He also admits that this looks very religious belief which offers few benefits and there seems to exist some proof that the believers also live happier otherwise also live longer lives for an instance. Also there are some social advantages that are greater altruism amongst the believers, benefiting rest of the society. Breaking spell is also fairly well-presented; chapters slowly creating up the Dennett’s arguments along with a description at the conclusion of every chapter, together with the short preview of next phase. Dennett also offers a proper wealth of the instances as well as possible counter opinions and also his explanation of evolution of the religion is also certainly very interesting (Dennett).

Faith actually tends to be product of the childhood indoctrination that neither the parents nor the religious leaders also are likely to anyhow give up without some incredible fight. Also later, the adult conversion otherwise religious and re-births tend towards occurring within some tremendously narrow confines that are restricted to very familiar otherwise acceptable different (Dennett and Born)

As Dennett says, big trio of the contemporary monotheistic people and religion like Judaism, Christianity plus Islam actually are relatively novel to humankind and also majority of people are in reality atheists with regarding the majority of gods and also no one in fact pays extra attention towards once-famous Olympians for any longer time, for instance (Hamilton, Hofstadter and Dennett). Oddly, too, no person discusses about the possibilities which they might have by mistake thrown out the wrong gods, which these may have been real ones as well as that they would be all better off praying towards Jesus otherwise making some sacrifices towards the Jesus otherwise make some sacrifices to Aztec gods (Harding and Rodrigues).

Indeed the religion does adapt towards an altering world along with certain and few fundamentalist exceptions a type of acknowledging which things may also not be very quiet and so absolute all everything plus that it is obvious and also a scientific truth all around the globe and cannot fully be ignored, even by the religions (Helmut Reich). Dennett’s argument is that we must test to view whether the religion is a worthwhile and is totally sensible otherwise a majorly unbelievable naïve.  He even suggests as well as being a total non-believer, also presumably leans very strongly to this path anyway that obvious answer and solution to this would be some overwhelming no otherwise a refusal to the same. Indeed, this author even wants to properly test religion scientifically as he understands that it cannot stand up to the mark anyway. But the single believer could and also desperately do and also hold on is that trumps card which is their god (Hitchens).

Scientific justification of Dennett’s approach towards religion

Dennett is also correct in being extra concerned along with convincing the believers about validity of the author’s scientific loom towards weighing worth of the religion and is definitely extra optimistic regarding being able towards convincing them, the majority of the believers as well as those susceptible towards religious and believing cannot perform what could actually be considered as an objective and cost-benefit evaluation otherwise weighing of proves (Irle and Winter). The price particularly to some others could always be properly balanced out along with more illusory advantages. Glory of the heaven is also hard towards something along with as well as if worse also seems to the worse, pillaging, and raping as well as killing towards name merely few of most extreme choices. Could be excused, a way otherwise another, as a mundane sacrifices which don not amount towards much when people consider bigger picture (Marr).

Hilariously the author is the one that makes people make some informed choices regarding religious beliefs along with emphasis on the informed-

Let honest religions thrive as their members are also getting what they actually want, because of the informed choosers.

Historically, the religion actually has been very powerful element and force that contributes in shaping of people’s behavior as of church’s power.  Populace was judged on the basis of their behavior as well as the way in which it is compared to church’s doctrines.  Also people who even were seen like living outside church’s belief scheme were charged along with crimes plus sometimes punished harshly (MOREY). 

Religion also has shaped people’s activities and actions as it teaches the set of all the morals which several people live by. Also when a family actually goes to the church such morals are also taught plus emphasized as way to the salvation. Salvation also is a very huge incentive. Religion also acts like a unifying as well as dividing force within communities. Take, for example, the early American Puritan settlers. The Puritan religion flourished in early America when settlers first have arrived. It even was a very restraining religion that, in some ways, has also made little sense. For example, the focus upon predestination like it has previously been decided to whether otherwise not people are going to the heaven as well as there is actually nothing you could do regarding it, has made it some religion which could with no trouble be anytime questioned – why does good performance if your fate in fact is by now determined? Moreover, religion acted like a unifying force intended for people while they arrived upon a very strange land along with no shelter, no home, no food, as well as no one who would cling to each other (Preece et al.). As colonists also prospered, moreover, they started to question faith. Outside the influences, like less restraining Christian religions for newer European people, drew them far away from the Puritanism. They in fact no longer require bond of church. Salem Witch Trials also brought them right back to fold out of the fear of the evil witches, yet again this also was merely for a short time period. During this time, moreover, people’s identities even were shaped through their fear for the evil. They enacted in the type of group believe mentality against all those who also were thought to be the witches (Richardson).

Conditions under which religious beliefs are held

Presently, take that as well as apply it into today. Look at gay marriage which is a debatable topic at present, for instance. Those who actually oppose the marriage in same sex cite their own religion as the basic reason, and also they even act out, at times, against the homosexuals as of what these people actually believe church is also telling them to do the same. Unfortunately, several of them do not in reality know what Bible demonstrates except via the look of the ministers. Similarly, bombing of the abortion clinics even comes to the mind. People who do such often cite church’s thinking and attitudes against the murder like a defense intended for their activities. In few ways, this also is a path to escape the personal accountability, but they even feel proper safety plus security in faith as well as they also feel that they are actually acting accordingly (Schmidt and Kraemer).

Terrorism is yet another instance today. Jihad thinks that they in fact are acting with response to needs of their own faith. They also are killing for own god and also that makes this “right” within their eyes. People, who nurture in a very religious ecology, particularly if environment is the radical one, know nothing except that from the early age. Also they are socialized to some set of thinking and beliefs. In this sense, religion also brainwashes them all against the other possible choices and also informs all of their decisions on the basis of a codified idea of “right” plus “wrong” which allows for zero deviation from place which they also have been taught off (Schweitzer).

It is the high time that science took proper hard look at the religion. Why? Just because it has also become evident within past years about the fact that  if people are towards making  progress on world’s vital issues, they will need to learn extra about religions as well as influence that they wield on people’s lives plus their actions. Failure towards appreciation of dynamics of the religious allegiance, as well as psychological effects of the religious differences, might also lead us towards investing heavily within the counterproductive parts and policies. Phoenix-like recoil of the religion in former and prior Soviet Union also suggests to several people that merely as the prohibition and war on the drugs prove to be very disastrous, if the well-meant, efforts to deal with excesses of popular indulgences, thus all ill-informed attempt to rein within fanatical damages of the religion would probably backfire very badly if people don’t study nearby phenomena very carefully as well as objectively (Stausberg).

From the biological point of view, religion actually is an astonishingly priced human activity which has also evolved over millennia. Even what “pays for” such profligate expense? And why does this exist as well as how will it foster this powerful allegiances? Towards several people, also asking this type of question would seem a proper sacrilege. But for undertaking a very serious scientific research of the religious practices as well as attitudes, people must set all aside traditional releases from scrutiny which religions have also enjoyed (Unruh).

How religions alter or change

Either people take religion like seriously as they take the issue of global warming as well as other problems and study this intensively; otherwise they treat it like mere fallacy as well as backwardness. Like with other marvels of the nature, people find that the paying of scrupulous attention towards its elegant designs enhances their appreciation of this fact, but others might also think that extra knowledge of backstage tolls and machinery threatens towards diminishing their fear, to break the spell which must never be broken.

People link themselves to some religious sets and groups through being encouraged towards doing so by some friend otherwise family member and even when they feel requirement towards belongingness. Individuals also get treated as the outcasts, at times not in some certain group and this is basically due to some peer pressure (Schmidt and Kraemer). Also religion is the horrible one as when the God created the mankind he allotted in him desire towards worship. Moreover, he even gave him freedom of the choice. But unfortunately, the mankind used the freedom of the choice towards worship, amongst many other things and options available like: family, sex, materials, money, property and also living beings. The bible also stated that few worship their own stomachs. People can work out whatever they worship by some phases of deduction. Merely they need is to ask selves: what is existing or who is existing within my life and that if I would lose it I will have no additional reason towards living. And what is the response and the final answer, is what his/her god is all about. Several don’t select themselves rather, they are actually forced. Also they are influenced through their parents in past times and since they were young, and they now are led towards believing in whatever they utter to be the truth.

References

Ahmed, F., and S. Luk. ‘How Religious Arbitration Could Enhance Personal Autonomy’. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion 1.2 (2012): 424-445. Web.

Dennett, D. C. Breaking The Spell. New York: Viking, 2006. Print.

Dennett, Daniel C, and Frank Born. Den Bann Brechen. Religion Als Natürliches Phänomen. Frankfurt am Main: Verlag der Weltreligionen, 2008. Print.

Hamilton, Andrew, Douglas R. Hofstadter, and Daniel C. Dennett. ‘The Mind’s I: Fantasies And Reflections On Self And Soul.’. The Philosophical Quarterly 34.134 (1984): 80. Web.

Harding, John S, and Hillary Rodrigues. The Study Of Religion. Print.

Helmut Reich, K. ‘HOW COULD WE GET TO A MORE PEACEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN WORLD SOCIETY? THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION’. Zygon® 47.2 (2012): 308-321. Web.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Portable Atheist. Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo, 2007. Print.

Irle, Roger D., and Gibson Winter. ‘Elements For A Social Ethic’. Review of Religious Research 12.1 (1970): 59. Web.

Marr, A. J. ‘Why Behaviorism, To Survive And Triumph, Must Abandon Its Very Name: An Open Letter’. Behavior and Social Issues 11.1 (2001): 92. Web.

MOREY, DANIEL S. ‘Why Powerful States Don’T Go It Alone’. International Studies Review 14.3 (2012): 461-462. Web.

Preece, Gordon et al. Does The World Have A Future?. [Hawthorn, Vic.]: Zadok Institute for Christianity and Society, 2007. Print.

Richardson, Bill. ‘How To Manage Your Organization Scientifically’. The TQM Magazine 7.4 (1995): 42-56. Web.

Schmidt, C. T. A., and Felicitas Kraemer. ‘Robots, Dennett And The Autonomous: A Terminological Investigation’. Mind Mach 16.1 (2006): 73-80. Web.

Schweitzer, Friedrich. ‘Religion In Childhood And Adolescence: How Should It Be Studied? A Critical Review Of Problems And Challenges In Methodology And Research’. Journal of Empirical Theology 27.1 (2014): 17-35. Web.

Stausberg, Michael. Contemporary Theories Of Religion. London: Routledge, 2009. Print.

Unruh, Heidi Rolland. ‘Religious Elements Of Church-Based Social Service Programs: Types, Variables And Integrative Strategies’. Review of Religious Research 45.4 (2004): 317. Web.