No. of Recommendations: 7
The Freedom From Religion Foundation puts out a monthly newsletter which I subscribe to. It arrives in a plain white wrapper, such are the times of today, and it is so worth it. Along with the various court challenges they file against such things as Bibles being mandated in classrooms and Bible studies required in public schools, they also have a section called “In the News”.
I quote liberally from it in the following snippet:
Brain Damage Linked To Increased Fundamentalism”
A new study suggest that specific networks in the brains when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism.
By analyzing patients with focal brain lesions, researchers found that damage to a particular network of brain regions was associated with higher levels of fundamentalist beliefs. This finding provides new insight into the potential neural basis of religious fundamentalism which has long been studied in psychology but less so in neuroscience.
Prior research suggested that damage to the prefrontal cortex could increase fundamentalist attitudes, but this work was limited to small sample sizes and focused only on one part of the brain. The authors of the study hypothesize that instead of a single brain region being responsible religious fundamentalism might arise from damage to a distributed network of connected brain regions.
The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Also on that page are headlines like
“California sues hospital for denying ER abortion”
Oklahoma’s Walters wants $6M for bibles in classrooms”
“Gen Z Women losing religion, finding politics”
And others.
These are all from the November issue of “Freethought Today”. I recommend it, and supporting the organization which is, you should pardon the expression, doing God’s work.
No. of Recommendations: 1
A new study suggest that specific networks in the brains when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism.
Interesting study and not at all a surprising analysis! I just wish it had more than 36 test subjects.
Pete
No. of Recommendations: 3
I just wish it had more than 36 test subjects
Probably hard to get funding for a study when the pitch is “We’re going to try to find out if Fundamentalist Christians are brain addled.” I’m sure McDonald’s Foundation would like to have its name attached to that.
But in my book 36 participants is enough when the conclusion is already so evident on its face. ;)
