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In a hypothetical universe, if kids weren't exposed to ANY thoughts about religion AT ALL and were taught about what we know about how the universe works, would
by ashu 18y ago
In a hypothetical universe, if kids weren't exposed to ANY thoughts about religion AT ALL and were taught about what we know about how the universe works, would the concept of God arise? Perhaps, since there are still a lot of things which are mysterious and can't be explained. But it seems that it will take a very different form than what we have been exposed to.
- Hexstream 18y agoI agree. Religion is a bit like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confabulation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confabulation, it's "rationalisations" to explain phenomenons we weren't equipped to understand in the past. Religion is a relic of an era where we just didn't know any better. In the absence of the needed body of knowledge we invented models (ex: God) of how it supposedly works and then proceeded to believe them.
- cousin_it 18y agoI think yes, the concept would still arise. Many disconnected societies had religion. You know this feeling when, after stumbling and falling over a chair, you punish the poor piece of furniture as if it were alive? Or see a car crash about to occur and think to yourself, oh please, let's this not happen? Imagining self-consciousness around you, a natural human trait, leads to the invention of tree spirits, thunderstorm spirits, etc., all the way up to god. And of course the concept of god (or any other Powerful Force orthogonal to human well-being) is very beneficial to those in power, to rationalize their decisions to the masses. So yes, it would be invented, and pretty soon.