Annette Lowe: On the Origins of Religion - Why Does Religion Exist? How Does it Form?

In today’s talk Annette takes us through a rich array of voices and works that speak to the question of the definitions, potential origins and purpose of the mystical experience and religion. Ranging from perspectives in sociology, neuropsychology, myth, Jung, art and sociobiology, we consider the marked differences between religious and mystical experiences and how surprisingly common the latter are. Annette raises the possibility of a partially physiological basis for a mystical or transliminal temperament and the survival value this possesses both for the individual and society.