Document Type : .
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Science Studies, Iranian Institute of Philosophy, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Evolutionary theory has two main parts: common descent and natural selection. An "adaptation" is a trait caused by natural selection. A "byproduct" is a trait correlated with an adaptation. Some scholars of different disciplines have explained religion by evolutionary theory. There are four evolutionary approaches to explaining religion: evolutionary psychology, cultural evolution, niche construction, and behavioral ecology. Evolutionary psychologists usually consider religion as byproducts of ordinary psychological mechanisms that had been adapted and then have been used by religion. Cultural evolutionists usually consider religion as a cultural adaptation for cooperation between strangers and as a consequence expansion of society. Niche construction and behavioral ecology have been used infrequently to explaining religion. We mention one theory from each: charismatic niche construction and evolutionary signaling. Some scholars have argued that these approaches are complementary despite of being very different. And theories that we mention are complementary despite of being very different.
Keywords
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