Science on Religion Research News
Belief in the occult growing in Europe
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- Published on 20 December 2012
- Written by Nicholas C. DiDonato
- Hits: 604
Many atheists see Europe as a trend-setter for the rest of the world: Europe has become less religious over the years, and soon the rest of the world will follow (if it manages to become so enlightened). However, simply because Europe has become more atheistic does not mean it has become a bastion for reason and science. As research by European ethnologist Sabine Doering-Manteuffel (University of Augsburg) suggests, belief in occult forces is growing in Europe.
Why atheist scientists bring their children to church
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- Published on 13 December 2012
- Written by Nicholas C. DiDonato
- Hits: 290
The formula seems simple: parents pass down what they believe to their children. Atheist parents don't believe in God or go to church, therefore…. Yet, a surprisingly large number of atheist scientists from elite universities raise their children in a religious community such as a church. Sociologists Elaine Ecklund (Rice University) and Kristen Lee (University of Buffalo, SUNY) found that these atheist scientists do so because they want to give their children religious choice, have a religious spouse, or think that religious communities will give their children moral bearings and community.
How accurate are your subjective impressions?
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- Published on 28 November 2012
- Written by Connor Wood
- Hits: 397
In the 17th century, John Locke argued that the only proper objects of scientific study were the primary qualities of matter – crisp measurements such as size and location. He and other thinkers thought that qualities such as color or temperature were too subjective for science. After all, I might think an apple was red, while you could call it orange or pink…but we’d have to agree on the measurement of its diameter! Hard measurements thus came to dominate scientific discourse, while subjective experiences were dismissed as irrelevant. But now, a group of Canadian researchers thinks that meditation might change this equation.
Scientific misconduct
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- Published on 16 November 2012
- Written by Nicholas C. DiDonato
- Hits: 450
Everyone loves cutting-edge science. The latest breakthroughs and insights into the physical world drive further innovation and fuel scientific enterprise. But what if they’re wrong? What if the scientists behind the latest and greatest breakthrough purposefully altered data only so that they could become the latest and greatest? Medical experts Ferric Fanga, (University of Washington School of Medicine), R. Steenc (Medical Communications Consultants), and Arturo Casadevall (Albert Einstein College of Medicine) discovered that 67.4% of biomedical and life-science journal retractions were due to misconduct – that is, deliberate number-fudging.
Supernatural agents and social strategy
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- Published on 08 November 2012
- Written by Ian Cooley
- Hits: 535
We’ve all had the experience of being spooked at some point in our lives. Maybe you were home at night when suddenly the power went out. In the dark, you became aware of something across the room, but you assured yourself that it was nothing. A moment later, however, there was no denying that the drapes were definitely moving. Of course, it was just a drafty window, but your lungs felt like they had just finished a marathon. This experience may have been the result of your mind’s predisposal toward perceiving other conscious entities in your environment; a recent research article suggests that we’re naturally inclined to attribute supernatural beings who have information about our private social knowledge.
Forgiveness may be linked to long life
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- Published on 30 October 2012
- Written by David Rohr
- Hits: 838
From the mythical fountain of youth to modern cryogenics, the desire to extend our lives runs deep in the human psyche. Peruse any magazine stand and you’re likely to find a dozen ways to maximize your stay on planet Earth. Some are obvious: eat healthy, exercise, and don’t abuse yourself with drugs and alcohol. Other solutions are a bit more surprising: drink green tea, eat dark chocolate, and own a pet or two. Even more counterintuitive (and perhaps less self-congratulatory) than enjoying chocolate, a recent study suggests that longevity is also linked to your readiness to forgive those who harm you.
Religious conservatism may be rooted in disgust response
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- Published on 20 October 2012
- Written by Connor Wood
- Hits: 651
In today’s culture wars, religion plays a major role. And in the United States, it often seems to fall on the conservative side of the spectrum. For example, you hardly ever see rowdy hordes of secularists protesting against immigrants or gays, do you? Decades of research has confirmed that religion is correlated with mistrust of outsiders, sexual minorities, and other common targets of prejudice. But why? A new research paper has a fascinating, if unsettling, answer: conservative religiosity is partly an expression of our bodies’ need to protect against disease and germs – and throughout history, nothing has been a bigger source of new diseases than outsiders.
Autism and (ir)religiosity
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- Published on 06 October 2012
- Written by Connor Wood
- Hits: 1229
Religion is often characterized as a human universal – researchers claim that nearly every society boasts some form of religious belief. But it’s also no secret that individual people often vary dramatically in their levels of religious belief. You might be a Bible-believing Christian, while your neighbor – who speaks the same language, eats at the same pizzeria, and enjoys the same movies – is a dyed-in-the-wool atheist. So where do these religious differences come from? A new research paper claims that the answer might lie in people’s ability – or lack thereof – to imagine the mental states of others.
Not conservatives but religious people more charitable
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- Published on 30 September 2012
- Written by Nicholas C. DiDonato
- Hits: 530
Despite the stereotype that conservatives couldn’t care less about the poor, research in the last decade indicates that they actually donate more to charities than political liberals (in America at least). This result has led some scholars to believe that political conservatism correlates with generosity. However, as sociologists Brandon Vaidyanathan, Christian Smith (both University of Notre Dame), and Jonathan Hill (Calvin College) argue, once religion factors into the equation, religion completely accounts for the political difference. That is, religiosity, not political conservatism, correlates with generosity.
Dalai Lama: We need ethics beyond religion
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- Published on 22 September 2012
- Written by Ian Cooley
- Hits: 892
We’ve all experienced that haunting sensation of dismay in the middle of the grocery store. Do you reach for the bottle of mustard now, or is that elderly woman near enough to notice that the bottle is not…gasp...organic!? Perplexed by a seemingly intractable moral dilemma, to whom do you turn? The philosophers are no help, of course (remember, we’re seeking clarity); the scientists, too cold and mechanical. Before reaching for the trusty assurances of your religion in such matters, however, a recent proposal made by the Dalai Lama may give you reason to reconsider.
Religious doubt related to the frontal cortex
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- Published on 14 September 2012
- Written by Connor Wood
- Hits: 707
You wake up one morning to a phone call. On the other end, a friend’s voice excitedly tells you that he knows where to find a leprechaun’s pot of gold in a nearby park. Do you want to come help him dig for it? If you are a normal person, you will roll your eyes, hang up, and (hopefully) go back to sleep. But according to new research from the University of Iowa, if you have damage to a specific area of your neocortex related to doubt and skepticism, you might jump up and start looking around for your shovel. And guess what – if so, you’re also more likely to be a religious fundamentalist.
More Articles...
- AAP: Health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh risks
- A mystery in the history of Anabaptists
- Does religion always make people closed-minded?
- Is religion disappearing?
- Education’s effect on religion
- Painful rituals: good for some, not for others
- Speaking in tongues: the language of serenity?
- Orthodox and progressives differ by morality – worldwide
- The religious may fare better when the going gets tough
- The evolution of atheists
- Traditional religion: investing (genetically) in families
- Church mentality affects your mentality
- Compassion, caring, and charity: Religious or not?
- Does religion make us moral?
- Why do we think the soul survives?
- Parasites, nasty germs, and religion
- Does personality explain the link between belief and health?
- Does analytical thinking disprove religion?
- Seeing a purpose in nature may reduce fear of death
- IN FOCUS: Few scientists see science in conflict with religion
