Asceticism, Religion, and Biological Evolution'

Abstract

This article initially argues that asceticism and related phenomena in classical India and in Christian antiquity suggest the existence of a universal, shared, innate human predisposition. After providing descriptive data on the widespread belief in a soul distinct from the body, along with cross-cultural accounts of ascetic practices, the article turns to a general reflection concerning the characteristics of an innate disposition termed the 'ascetic instinct' in light of other such dispositions, notably the 'language instinct' hypothesized to exist by some linguists. Further evidence in support of the proposed ascetic instinct, this time drawn mainly from tribal societies, is also presented. The article concludes by drawing on recent research on language and symbolic thinking to propose how this counter-reproductive universal arose and how it has survived in human beings.

Religion as Memory

“…This paper will not define religion, considering that "The history of science has demonstrated many times over that useful definitions evolve in tandem with scientific understanding, serving as scaffolds for scientific progress, rather than as starting points, or ends in themselves" ( [1], pp. [20][21]. Having said that, Dunbar's ( [2], p. xvii) recent definition comes close to what we will be dealing with: "belief in some kind of transcendental world (that may or may not coincide with our observable physical world) inhabited by spirit beings or forces (that may or may not take an interest in and influence the physical world in which we live)" (It is worth remembering that comparative research "indicate[s] that the oldest trait of religion .…”

“…Finally, God or the highest reality can be reached through oneself: some religions add that one's real self is close to or even identical with God. Another frequently held belief is that one's real self (or at least one of the selves in the case of people who believe that we have several of them) is not involved in one's actions (On different notions of the self and their consequences, see [20]). We recognize, once again, the four points in List 1.…”

Religion as memory

“…This paper will not define religion, considering that "The history of science has demonstrated many times over that useful definitions evolve in tandem with scientific understanding, serving as scaffolds for scientific progress, rather than as starting points, or ends in themselves" ( [1], pp. [20][21]. Having said that, Dunbar's ( [2], p. xvii) recent definition comes close to what we will be dealing with: "belief in some kind of transcendental world (that may or may not coincide with our observable physical world) inhabited by spirit beings or forces (that may or may not take an interest in and influence the physical world in which we live)" (It is worth remembering that comparative research "indicate[s] that the oldest trait of religion .…”

Why is it so difficult to accept Darwin's theory of evolution?

“…The human desire for finality extends further; it includes transcendance. Religiosity is, in fact, one more trait of our human nature as is made evident by ethnology [12,13], evolutionary biology [14], population genetics [15], or the science of religion [16]. Where does this come from?…”