Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion and Violence

Alcorta, Candace S.; Sosis, Richard

doi:10.1017/9781009238328

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 138 publications

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“…Glowacki suggests that a crucial step in peacemaking in early human prehistory was when small-scale societies started using religion as a form of cultural knowledgebeliefs, values, and customsto enable positive group interactions. We agree that religion likely facilitated cooperation among early human communities, but it also likely encouraged conflict (Alcorta & Sosis, 2022). Here, we take a closer look at the role of religion in the evolution of peace and assess three premises in Glowacki's argument.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The evolution of peace

Glowacki¹

2022

Behav Brain Sci

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While some species have affiliative and even cooperative interactions between individuals of different social groups, humans are alone in having durable, positive-sum, interdependent relationships across unrelated social groups. Our capacity to have harmonious relationships that cross group boundaries is an important aspect of our species’ success, allowing for the exchange of ideas, materials, and ultimately enabling cumulative cultural evolution. Knowledge about the conditions required for peaceful intergroup relationships is critical for understanding the success of our species and building a more peaceful world. How do humans create harmonious relationships across group boundaries and when did this capacity emerge in the human lineage? Answering these questions involves considering the costs and benefits of intergroup cooperation and aggression, for oneself, one's group, and one's neighbor. Taking a game theoretical perspective provides new insights into the difficulties of removing the threat of war and reveals an ironic logic to peace—the factors that enable peace also facilitate the increased scale and destructiveness of conflict. In what follows, I explore the conditions required for peace, why they are so difficult to achieve, and when we expect peace to have emerged in the human lineage. I argue that intergroup cooperation was an important component of human relationships and a selective force in our species history in the past 300 thousand years. But the preconditions for peace only emerged in the past 100 thousand years and likely coexisted with intermittent intergroup violence which would have also been an important and selective force in our species’ history.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The evolution of peace

Glowacki¹

2022

Behav Brain Sci

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“…Still, religious beliefs are explicitly invoked by many terrorists as justification for their acts (Fox 2004;Wellman and Tokuno 2004), and so it is not surprising to see the blame for bloodshed placed on religion, in particular on Islam (Harris 2004;Avalos 2005;McCormick 2006;Ellens 2007;Steffen 2007;Persson and Savulescu 2013;Selengut 2017;Alcorta and Sosis 2022;Strathern 2023). Now, if religion is the root cause of much political violence, then it would seem that we need to turn to secular ethical theories for the solution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Only a God Can Save Us Now”: Why a Religious Morality Is Best Suited to Overcome Religiously Inspired Violence and Spare Innocents from Harm

Vincelette

2023

Religions

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It is common to hear the refrain that religion is a major cause of violence today. And this claim is not without merit. Religious differences can fuel animosity and lead to societal conflict. On the other hand, scholars have increasingly recognized the role of religion in overcoming societal divides and helping people to heal and forgive. This paper will examine the latter capacity of religion to minimize the harms that occur during violent conflicts. It will be argued that secular ethical theories often fail to provide any principles or foundations that can help moderate passions, alleviate tensions, or provide frameworks for what is licit in war. In fact, the world views of terrorists and secular ethicists of war are often strikingly similar. Religious ethicists, on the contrary, have often encouraged practices (prayer for one’s enemies, forgiveness) and provided principles (dignity of every human, non-combatant immunity, just war theory) that can help moderate the violent tendencies of war and bring about a more peaceful and equitable resolution. While religion is not entirely off the hook for promoting violent conflict, religion can provide ethical frameworks and principles that help minimize the harms of conflicts and promote world peace.

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Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion and Violence

Alcorta¹,

Sosis²

2022

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Religion and violence share a complex and enduring history. Viewing violence and religion from an evolutionary perspective situates both within a broader framework of aggressive, affiliative, and signaling behaviors across species. In this work the authors review genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that influence violence, distinguishing two types of aggression that differ in underlying physiology and intent. The use of communicative signals to delimit aggression across species is surveyed and the emergence of human symbolic ritual as a signaling system for creating alliances and promoting in-group cooperation is proposed. Using Wallace's typology of religion, this Element explores differences across religious systems in relation to socioecological variation and examines the underlying mechanisms by which religion 'works'. The use of violence as both an 'honest signal' and a mechanism for inculcating religious belief is discussed, and the use of religion to incite, validate, and justify violence is reviewed.

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Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion and Violence

Cited by 8 publications

References 138 publications

The evolution of peace

The evolution of peace

“Only a God Can Save Us Now”: Why a Religious Morality Is Best Suited to Overcome Religiously Inspired Violence and Spare Innocents from Harm

Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion and Violence

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