Pondering the Neurobiology of Religious Beliefs and Spirituality with Michael Ferguson

Harvard neuroscientist Michael Ferguson’s research is revealing the brain’s neuronal networks that mediate religious experiences and spirituality.  In this podcast he talks about his findings from functional brain imaging studies of devout Mormons and of people who exhibited profound changes in religiosity after having a brain injury resulting from surgery or accident.  I talk with him about the implications of his findings for brain evolution, psychiatric disorders, and new approaches for improving the health and welfare of individuals and societies.

Links:

Dr. Ferguson lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmnYBEmB2i0&t=1662s

Relevant publications:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8714871/pdf/nihms-1735983.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478470/pdf/nihms864583.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2660736/pdf/zpq4876.pdf

 https://www-annualreviews-org.proxy1.library.jhu.edu/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100334

Robert Sapolsky Lecture on Evolution and Religion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WwAQqWUkpI