From: Smigrodzki, Rafal (SmigrodzkiR@MSX.UPMC.EDU)
Date: Tue Sep 18 2001 - 15:54:40 MDT
Zeb wrote:
What i am now wondering are the evolved human features that allow the
irrational
constructs to exist an important or even essential component of sentience.
### The book "Religion explained" (I forgot it's author's name), recently
discussed on this list, gives some coherent, detailed and quite compelling
answers to this question.
Our evolved neural mechanisms, mainly devoted to the analysis of social
interactions (intuitive psychology) are prone to recognize certain ideas as
"salient", leading to many inferences, and therefore likely to be
remembered. These ideas evolve over time and gain sophistication, co-opting
many parts of our brain in their spread. What starts as a vague idea of
"ancestors" who know of our misdeeds and can be bargained with, develops
over a few thousand years into a complicated system of rules and fantasies,
intricately linked to the fabric of the society, and supported by secondary
types of interactions (coalition building, formation of memetic "brand
names", like Christianity, and others).
Good book. I knew religion was silly since I was 7 years old but now I know
why it is so persistent.
The AI, if executed properly, could be just as impervious to Rev. Falwell's
blandishments as the staunchest infidels on our list, if not more.
Rafal Smigrodzki
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