scienceShould scientists investigate the origins of religious belief/theism? What types of evidence do theists object least to? What open questions in evolution are used most compellingly by theists? Generally: What scientific questions are most pressing and have answers pertaining to the concerns of the atheist community?
I ask this question as non-believer, cognitive scientist. While my own work may or may not ever address these issues, if they are open issues then directed this questions to those who might investigate them can only be beneficial. If the issues raised have been addressed (and I know of the work) I’ll happily direct those bringing them up to the publications that discuss the issue.
Helping society to become peaceful - with out killing or torturing anyone. Because no one else is going to do it - obviously this is a long term goal.
“Should scientists investigate the origins of religious belief/theism?” Is this not a question for historians?
“What types of evidence do theists object least to?” Not being funny but the answer to that is the Bible.
What open questions in evolution are used most compellingly by theists? Not sure, cant answer that. Have not heard one personally.
“Generally: What scientific questions are most pressing and have answers pertaining to the concerns of the atheist community?” Science has nothing to do with Atheism. Science should never get involved with trying to prove or disprove anything to do with theism or atheism. It can look into how humans think act etc but to bring religion into it is a waste of time. When science is used to prove prayer does nothing the believers turn round and say that God knows he is being tested and has changed the results. Its a waste of time.
Any and all new knowledge is eagerly anticipated. But if I had to pick one:
I look forward to a full understanding of the nature and origins of consciousness.
I want to know:
“What is the purpose of my life?”
Not in a supernatural, what have god planned for me, kind of way. But I really need to answer that question, and if I don’t have a religion to answer it for me, I have to do it myself.
The human mind.
We have a very good understanding of the universe, the genetics of life, we’re constantly pushing technology to the edge, but we still have very limited understanding of what goes on in all our heads.
Especially the origins of language and abstract thinking are my wet dreams.
Should scientists investigate the origins of religious belief/theism?
They already are. There definitely appears to be a neurological basis for belief, possibly as a side effect of human social evolution.
It would be nice to find solid evidence of life (past or present) on other planets, either within the solar system or elsewhere. My limited knowledge of chemistry and physics leads me to believe that the universe must be positively lousy with life, although the ratio of intelligent to non-intelligent will probably be similar to what it is on Earth, on a similarly sliding scale (a few species that we'd recognize as sentient, a couple of dozen that count as "smart", several billion that are little more than biological automatons like insects, trillions of plants, fungi, etc., and uncountable numbers of microbes).
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