Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 13:40:55 +0200
From: "Gatherer, D. (Derek)" <D.Gatherer@organon.nhe.akzonobel.nl>
Subject: RE: HEA report on religion and mental health
To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Nick:
As far I could tell the HEA report appears to have
overlooked the difference between correlation and cause.
Derek:
Yes you're correct, I don't think any attempt is made to separate the two.
Nick:
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.
Derek:
Yes, I can see what you're driving at (I think)...
If a) people who have 'good neural genes' tend to believe in religion AND
prosper (but those things are just independent effects of their personality
type), then selection will be at the level of the genes. It's just genetic
selection for prosperity via stable personality type, a la Eysenck.
Religion is an occasional epiphenomenon riding on the back of the selected
neural state/personality type.
but if b) religion is the _cause_ of the prosperity and mental health, then
selection will be at the level of the cultural trait-bearing individual. Of
course, the genes of those who exhibit the cultural trait will tend to
benefit (but by accident). Then gene frequency change is the epiphenomenon,
riding on the back of the selected cultural behaviour. Genetic selection
may creep in the back door here, though, if certain genotypes are
predisposed to religiosity.
Very good, yes, there is a distinction here. The two situations are in some
ways converse of each other. But does that detract from the HEA findings?
In neither scenario does religion have to be an individually maladaptive
mind virus.
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