Joseph Bulbulia Religious Costs as Adaptations that Signal Altruistic

Below I use research in theoretical biology to shed light on the nature and function of supernatural cognition, and suggest some promising new paths of psychological inquiry these new understandings open. By supernatural cognition I mean beliefs, emotions, and practices relative to supernatural beings and powers like Yahweh, The Amida Buddha, Shiva, Jesus Christ, Zeus, grace, mana, soul, num, and other supernatural beings and forces to which individuals are committed. To make exposition easier, I have adopted the convention of using “religion” to denote supernatural cognition and the term “gods” to denote supernatural beings and powers. I argue that a central function of supernatural cognition is to facilitate efficient solutions to otherwise difficult or intractable co-ordination problems. These emerge when individuals acting collectively further their individual interests through sacrificing on each others behalf. Religion is an adaptation that generates a special kind of reciprocal altruism, which may be called religious altruism. An altruistic act is one that benefits the inclusive fitness (RS) of the recipient at some cost to the inclusive fitness (RS) of the benefactor. Religious altruists are motivated to altruism from a belief in supernatural powers capable of rewarding altruism and punishing defection (failure to reciprocate). The paper explains religious beliefs, emotions, and behaviours as products of an adaptive signalling system designed to propagate religious altruism.