Minds and Gods: The Cognitive Foundations of Religion Book

This was my first book on the subject. It was an extremely thick read, it took me forever to get through the 200 pages. But I did take the time to understand the book and know all the details.

Tremlin slowly builds an argument in this book. He starts with prehistoric evolutionary evidence of developing minds (evolution). Giving as much detail as number of specimens and locations. And ends with how people modify religion.

I'll just say that Todd really does a good job solidifying his arguments, and doesn't leave much out. He chooses his words very carefully and draws heavily on previous peoples work (Justin Barrett, Ilka Pyysiainen, Pascal Boyer are constantly being referenced). His careful wording, in turn, requires that much more attention when reading. Sometimes I would get through 5 pages and feel totally wiped out mentally. But when I got done I felt like I had such a solid understanding of how religion works. I truly loved this book, despite how long it took me to understand.

My Summary:

Modularity: Tremlin describes that the brain is composed of several specialized locations. These specialized locations are called modules. The brain has a very large number of modules. One module might be in charge of mathematics, another area might be in charge of knowing who your mother is. There are lots and lots of modules in the brain, all of them combined give rise to consciousness.

Agency Detection Device (ADD): Tremlin describes our ability as humans to see agents. We know the lion is deadly when it's hungry. The shaking bush, could have a snake in it, makes us nervous. Our ability to see these "agents" is extremely widespread. Gods are always agents, actively influencing our lives.

Theory of Mind Mechanism (ToMM): Humans are extremely good at knowing what other people are thinking. When we see someones expression alone we usually have a handle on where their mind is at. But gods always know better. They are always aware of what we are thinking, and know our deepest secrets.





So the "folk" idea of religion, Usually involves a god that is a man, who takes care of your crops and brings good weather, and helps you win a football game/war. Gods are agents influencing the most important aspects of our lives. But there are gaps in logic that are ultimately faced, like why is god a man, who created him, etc. So theologians must find ways to explain these things, making god infinite say. But the "folks" rarely listen to theologians, they basically make the religion up to fit their everyday life. Which explains why most christians have no idea what's in the bible.

When the theologians take the religion too far away from the "folks", the religion usually splits. And this explains the large number of different churches there are today. And now that folk life is changing faster then ever, new religions are spreading along with it. Religion and society go hand in hand.

Tremlin also argues that Gods must have an intuitive attribute in order to be influential on people. For instance he must be a man, and he is your friend. And he has a set of rules for you to follow. But there also must be something counter-intuitive to him to make him seem magical. For instance he knows what you're thinking. Or he can control the sun. Or he makes earthquakes when he's angry. When the right mix of "intuitive" and "counter-intuitive" ideas come together, the reward is the "folks" spreading the idea and the religion prospering.