How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

Imam Dr. Khalil Abdur-Rashid, Harvard's first full-time Muslim Chaplain, dives into the spiritual significance of fasting in Islam, especially during Ramadan. He discusses how fasting goes beyond just abstaining from food, promoting mindfulness and self-restraint. The conversation also touches on how fasting can enhance community bonds and gratitude. Adam Cohen, a psychology professor, shares new research indicating even one day of fasting can deepen religious commitment and overall well-being, highlighting its transformative power.

We often think of belief as a religious or cultural idea that is a hallmark of modern humans. But what if the early sparks of belief burned in our ancestors’ minds long before modern humans walked the earth? What if beliefs about some of the biggest questions out there, like what happens after death, weren’t just pondered by Homo sapiens?On this episode, evolutionary anthropologist Agustín Fuentes takes us on a journey spanning millions of years, from our primate relatives in the deep past to the complex spiritual and cultural traditions we know today. Along the way, we’ll learn how the capacity for belief has helped shape our species and why it remains a powerful force in our lives today.Agustín Fuentes is a Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University and the author of the books Why We Believe: Evolution and the Human Way of Being and The Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional. Learn more about his work on his website, and be sure to check out his forthcoming book Sex is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary, due out in May 2025. 

When it comes to finding happiness, many religions see marriage as the gold standard: a path to love, stability, and fulfillment. But is that really true? And if so, why are marriage rates plummeting in so many parts of the world?In this episode, we’ll talk to anthropologist Joseph Henrich about the surprising history of marriage and monogamy, including how these institutions helped lay the groundwork for much of our modern way of life. We’ll also speak with psychologist Geoff MacDonald about what it means to live a happy, single life in a world that often prioritizes partnership, and why marriage might not offer the best road to fulfillment for everyone. Joseph Henrich is the Ruth Moore Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, and the author of The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous. Geoff MacDonald is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, where he leads the MacDonald Social Psychology Research Laboratory, which aims to study well-being in singlehood. 

Join us for Season 8 of How God Works, starting next week!

We'll be back with a whole new season of How God Works on March 9th. But in the meantime, we wanted to share shows from our archives that speak to some of the most pressing challenges we're all facing today. It’s only February, and already this has been an intense year. So if you’re feeling stressed today, how about… a breather?It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states. That’s why spiritual traditions the world over incorporate it as a practice to help heal body and mind and walk the path towards peace.Join us as we explore the breath’s connection to our nervous system with psychologist and neuroscientist Stephen Porges, creator of Polyvagal Theory. We’ll also learn about the spiritual roots of breathwork and try out a few techniques with noted yoga, qigong and meditation teacher Amelia Barili.Learn more about Dr. Stephen Porges’s work and Polyvagal Theory on his website, and be sure to check out his new book, co-authored with Seth Porges: Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us.Dr. Amelia Barili is faculty at the UCB Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and professor emerita from the University of California at Berkeley. Learn more about her work on her website and check out her YouTube channel the new paradigms.We also highly recommend the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor.

We'll be back with a whole new season of How God Works starting in early March. But in the meantime, we wanted to share a few shows from our archives that speak to some of the most pressing challenges we're all facing today.Hate and prejudice based on ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation are all too common in our world. But are we doomed to be this way? Or is it possible to create a world where cooperation and peace are the norm?Join Dave as he talks to NYU professor Jay van Bavel about the deeper mechanisms at work when it comes to group conflict (and how to avoid it), and with Zen Buddhism teacher Larry Ward about how the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village Tradition can help all of us to heal and foster a more equitable and caring world.Jay Van Bavel is co-author (with Dominic Packer) of The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony. Find out more about Jay’s work on his website.Larry Ward is a co-founder of The Lotus Institute and host of the podcast Beyond the News, which explores current events through the lens of Buddhism and neuroscience. He is also the author of America’s Racial Karma: An Invitation to Heal.The gathas heard in this episode are taken from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Peace Is Every Breath: A Practice for Our Busy Lives. Dave also makes reference to the 14 mindfulness trainings, which can be found in the book Interbeing, 4th Edition: The 14 Mindfulness Trainings of Engaged Buddhism.

Artificial Intelligence, and its possible applications to religion, have been in the news a lot lately, so while we're busy working on Season 8, we thought we'd share this episode from 2022 with you.Can you pray with a robot? Will people worship AI like a god? It’s not science fiction. It’s starting to happen now. But what does it mean if robots become priests, or AIs start offering ethical advice? And how do we know when to trust them?We’ll talk to MIT social roboticist Cynthia Breazeal about how technology can manipulate our minds and emotions for good or ill, and with religion professor Robert Geraci about how technology is being used in religion, and why AI may need some spiritual training itself.Watch Cynthia Breazeal’s TED talk here, and find out about her work on the MIT Media Lab website. Find out more about Robert Geraci’s work on his website.Meet the robots: Nexi, Mindar, and SanTO.

Faith has always been a strong force in human history – but in modern times, it may feel antiquated to have it. This is an episode of the How to Be a Better Human podcast in which Dave talks about his research exploring questions of faith, his findings, and why we shouldn’t leave spiritual wisdom behind, even in the age of science. Hosted by comedian Chris Duffy, How to Be a Better Human features conversations that uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how you can improve your life.  From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How to Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another.If you liked this episode, you can find How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts

The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. But all too often, the darker, colder days of winter, and even the stress of preparing for the holidays themselves, can lead people to feel something else: rushed, stressed, lonely, or even hopeless. How can you make sure this year is bright? Science shows that there's a wisdom to parts of traditional winter celebrations – a wisdom that's been honed over centuries to help us all find light, joy, and connection during the darkest and coldest time of the year. Join Dave as he chats with Laurie Santos about how to unpack the psychological secrets of celebrations from Christmas, to Hanukkah, to Yule, and more. They’ll also discuss how we can put that wisdom into practice, whatever our beliefs, to make this season a happier and healthier one for all.Laurie Santos hosts the podcast The Happiness Lab and is a Professor of Psychology at Yale, where she teaches the most popular class in the university’s history. Learn more about her work at her website. 

Nicholas Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, dives into the power of hope during challenging times, sharing how he maintains optimism while covering tragic global events. Roshi Joan Halifax, an ecologist and founder of the Upaya Zen Center, discusses the Buddhist concept of 'wise hope' and its role in fostering compassion and resilience. They explore personal stories of understanding amidst conflict and highlight how community and empathy can help us navigate despair, making a case for hope as a choice we can all embrace.