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Stanford's Robert Sapolsky, one of the most interesting anthropologists I've heard lecture, gives us 90 minutes on the evolutionary basis for literal religious belief, "metamagical thinking," schizotypal personality and so on, explaining how evolutionarily, the mild schizophrenic expression we called "schizotypal personality" have enjoyed increased reproductive opportunities.


wasnt sure where to put this, but it does deal with religion. if it should be moved feel free to do so.

very interesting lecture.

(edit: made link clickable)

The word he uses within the first minute, religiosity, makes me LoL. It sounds like one of those words that people sometimes use that aren't really words.

This is some great stuff. Only 7 minutes in and hes talked about the evolutionary causes of 3 big genetic diseases, 2 of which I didn't know the evolutionary mechanism for before.

Hmmmm, this could fit into science, or religion, or people, places & history.

Unless of course you are a schizo, then it could go into conspiracy.

Mmmmmmm, 1 sided conversations are Grrrrrreeaaaaaattt!

Wow, you sure are awesome Mr. toolAenima!

I know, I know.....

Every few more minutes that I get into this video increases my like for it!



Ruh-roh, I wash my hands too much, and that elbow bit @ 33min, damn I prolly got the pre-OCD type gene. Atleast for the schizotypal I only relate to the anti-social type side, no metamagical thinking here.

He says it is an anxiety disorder. No wonder the wonderful has made many of the other mild symptoms mostly disappear!

Rofl, I love how he is getting at religion being obsessive compulsive schizophrenia.

This is really good stuff, do you have more of his lectures?

at this time i do not. but i think i will look for more. kinda explains a few things. outa piss some people off with this one!

Absolutely brilliant lecture! A must see.

Very insightful. I think he got it right to a surprisingly large degree.
"Schizotypal ... Meta-magical thinking ... OCD" - The possible (and probable) sources for a lot of religion, and ritual in societies around the world.

Stanford School of Medicine - Profile: Dr. Robert Sapolsky
Steven Barclay Agency - Bio: Dr. Robert Sapolsky
"Dr. Sapolsky is a MacArthur 'Genius' Fellow, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, and a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya."

I added a few lectures by Sapolsky to the Science Forum.

morpheusprime - I think you made the right choice in posting this lecture in the Spirituality, Religion & Atheism Forum.

Ibid: original citation associating the schizophrenic functioning sucessfuly as charismatic religious leader/catalyst during times of crisis / anxiety...
'Charisma: A Psychoanalytic Look at Mass Society' Irvine Schiffer (1973)
[with all the clutter hadn't noticed this cache of clarity...thanks]

Fascinating lecture. Try telling a theist that they are genetically predisposed to being meta-magical. The look on their face is priceless.

yes we need more lecture like this.

We are all schizo. We "normal" people just have the luxury of believing in/seeing the same mass hallucinations.
For those interested, look into the theory of the Bicameral Mind, for a good argument on how what we often take for granted as objectivity is only coordinated subjectivity (including the scientific method).

Those who would trade their minds for technology deserve neither.

I agree. We are dealing in shades of gray. My variety of mental strangeness is on par with that of a religious zealot or a staunch atheist. The cool thing about studying this mental fog is that we might have a glimpse through it.