| Solving the Evolutionary Puzzle of Human Cooperation Contributor(s): Barenthin, Glenn (Author), Slone, D. Jason (Editor), Wiebe, Donald (Editor) |
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ISBN: 1350106755 ISBN-13: 9781350106758 Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic OUR PRICE: $148.50 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: September 2019 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion | Psychology Of Religion - Religion | Religion & Science - Social Science | Sociology Of Religion |
| Dewey: 306.6 |
| LCCN: 2019007609 |
| Series: Scientific Studies of Religion: Inquiry and Explanation |
| Physical Information: 0.63" H x 6.14" W x 9.21" (1.16 lbs) 248 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In this book, Glenn Barenthin provides a new solution to a key question in the cognitive and evolutionary study of religion: why do humans cooperate? What led humans, uniquely among animals, to have large-scale civilizations with unprecedented cooperation? One explanation, propagated by the Big God Proponents (BGP), argues that a moralizing God is the crucial motivator for the pro-social behaviour necessary for large scale civilization. To explore this idea, Barenthin provides a critical assessment of the evidence provided by the BGP, and also discusses the place of God in our moral thinking. However, using evidence from anthropology, history, cognitive science, psychology and game theory, Barenthin presents a new theory: that the evolutionary pressures faced by our forebears paved the way for emerging humans to engage in what he terms 'thin cooperation'. This type of cooperation requires individuals to comprehend the reasons for their actions, and it is often done with others in mind. Finally, Barenthin argues that humans also have the capacity for 'thick cooperation', which is made possible by those fighting for the rights of strangers in an attempt to make the world a fairer place for a greater number of people. |
Contributor Bio(s): Slone, D. Jason: - D. Jason Sloane is Associate Professor of Cognition and Culture at the School of Arts and Sciences, Tiffin University, USA.Wiebe, Donald: - Donald Wiebe is Professor of Religion, Trinity College, University of Toronto, Canada.Martin, Luther H.: - Luther H. Martin is Professor of Religion Emeritus at the University of Vermont, USA.Kundt, Radek: - Radek Kundt is Assistant Professor in the Department for the Study of Religions, Masaryk University, Czech Republic. He is also a Research Fellow at the LEVYNA Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion, Masaryk University, Czech Republic.McCorkle Jr, William W.: - William W. McCorkle is Associate Professor and Research Specialist at the Laboratory for the Experimental Research of Religion and Ritual, Masaryk University, Czech Republic. |
