From: Nick Rose <Nicholas.Rose@uwe.ac.uk>
To: JOM-EMIT Discussion List <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: HEA report on religion and mental health
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 12:07:31 -0400 (EDT)
Hi all,
As far I could tell the HEA report appears to have
overlooked the difference between correlation and cause. It
may well be the case that people who have a religious faith
have better mental health and/or are more prosperous.
This may be because people who have religious beliefs are
better off as a consequence of those beliefs (perhaps
through the advantages of an in-group of co-believers).
Belonging to a supportive community may have many
advantages (you don't need to be a full-on group
selectionist to believe that!) - but it could equally be
the case that people who are wealthy and mentally
well-adjusted have a tendancy to believe in religion.
Does the HEA report simply conflate cause and correlation?
I've known even great scientists occasionally make that
mistake...
Cheers,
Nick
----------------------------------------
Nick Rose
Email: Nicholas.Rose@uwe.ac.uk
"University of the West of England"
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