Dr. Azim Shariff is Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He is a social psychologist whose research focuses on where morality intersects with religion, cultural attitudes and economics. Another rapidly expanding part of his research looks at human-technology interactions and the ethics of automation, including self-driving cars.

In this episode, we talk about the science of religion, and the ethics of self-driving cars. First, we refer to the role that the science of religion plays in the integration of the Humanities and the Sciences. Then, we address the prosocial and moral aspects of religion, starting with the role that Big Gods played in allowing for cohesion in large societies, and also the traits that work better in them. Also, why it is more difficult to explain religious misbelief than religious thinking. Finally, we discuss the ethics of self-driving cars, what people prefer to be their decisions, and what the future might hold for this technology.

Follow Dr. Shariff’s work:

Faculty page: https://bit.ly/2U4Xj4b

Articles on Researchgate: https://bit.ly/2NCo2PZ

The Science of Religion MOOC (Edx): https://bit.ly/2lsl41X

Twitter handle: @azimshariff

Paper referenced in the interview + comment:

Complex societies precede moralizing gods

throughout world history

Complex societies precede moralizing gods throughout world history: https://go.nature.com/2CxTVoy

Corrected analyses show that moralizing gods precede complex societies but serious data concerns remain: https://psyarxiv.com/jwa2n

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS: KARIN LIETZCKE, ANN BLANCHETTE, SCIMED, PER HELGE HAAKSTD LARSEN, LAU GUERREIRO, RUI BELEZA, MIGUEL ESTRADA, ANTÓNIO CUNHA, CHANTEL GELINAS, JIM FRANK, JERRY MULLER, FRANCIS FORD, HANS FREDRIK SUNDE, BRIAN RIVERA, ADRIANO ANDRADE, YEVHEN BODRENKO, SERGIU CODREANU, ADAM BJERRE, JUSTIN WATERS, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK AND AIRES ALMEIDA!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY FIRST PRODUCER, Yzar Wehbe!

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