Robert N. McCauley: Religion is Natural & the Cognitive Science of Religion

Mar 22, 2024

Robert N. McCauley, a leading figure in the cognitive science of religion and professor at Emory University, dives into the fascinating intersection of cognition and faith. He discusses the role of cognitive biases in shaping religious beliefs and practices, revealing how implicit cognition influences our understanding of the divine. The conversation also touches on the cultural dynamics of spirituality amidst increasing secularization and the parallels between religious experiences and contemporary fandom, particularly in superhero culture.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

Theology Beer Camp: Bridging Religion and Cognitive Science

02:13 • 5min

Navigating the Intersections of Cognition and Religion

07:24 • 25min

Cognitive Science and Religion: Bridging Faith and Thought

32:35 • 26min

Cognitive Science and Religion: An Evolutionary Perspective

58:18 • 23min

Cognitive Biases in Religion

01:20:58 • 18min

Exploring the Nuances of Religious Identity and Secularization

01:38:53 • 6min

Faith in Fandom: The Superhero Phenomenon

01:44:50 • 13min

The Imperative of Supporting Biomedical Science

01:58:15 • 4min

Cultural Foundations and Future of Science Education

02:02:03 • 2min

People often ask me, "Tripp, in 17 years of podcasting, what's your favorite interview?" I can never answer the question because there are so many different kinds of interviews. I love episodes with my scholarly friends who repeatedly return to the podcast, but for this nerd, I am thrilled to introduce listeners to scholars who rocked my world. In this episode, I talk with a legend in science and religion, Dr. Robert McCauley. He is a pioneer in the cognitive science of religion, and his work has greatly impacted the academic community. It was an honor to unpack so many themes in his work and I can't wait for y'all to hear it!

Robert N. McCauley is William Rand Kenan Jr. University Professor of Philosophy at Emory University and the founding Director of Emory's Center for Mind, Brain, and Culture. He is the author of Why Religion Is Natural and Science Is Not and Philosophical Foundations of the Cognitive Science of Religion. He is also the co-author, with E. Thomas Lawson, of Rethinking Religion and Bringing Ritual to Mind. With George Graham, he co-authored Hearing Voices and Other Matters of the Mind: What Mental Abnormalities Can Teach Us About Religions. He has been elected president of both the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion, and he will serve as a Gifford Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen in 2021.

Are you new to the cognitive science of religion? If so, you won't want to miss Bob's regular columns at Psychology Today.

In this conversation, we discuss...

the origin of the cognitive science of religion
implicit cognition and its role in studying religion
the anthropological story of religion's birth
why religion is natural, and science is not
how literacy reshapes human cognition and the shape of religion
the changing role of science in the study of religion
the power of explanatory pluralism
what light on religious practice and experience is gained through the application of an evolutionary lens
the different evolutionary theories of religion and how they interact with the developmental psychology
how CSR can be a tool for understanding culture

Here's the video of Bob's Gifford Lecture with the slides he mentioned in the conversation.

JOIN our next class, GOD AFTER DECONSTRUCTION with Thomas Jay Oord

Come to THEOLOGY BEER CAMP.

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices