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Dr. Robert Sapolsky's lecture about Biological Underpinnings of Religiosity

Aprendiendo Juntos

3.1K subscribers • 1 video on Rounds

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  • Recommended by 3 people, in Hacker News and Skeptics Stack Exchange, across 3 different months.
  • Presented by Robert Sapolsky, as the video describes them
  • Debated among experts. Its central claim is contested, so look for the other side.

Assumes interest and some biology. Education, not medical advice.

874K views14 years ago3 recommendations

Brain and nervesMental healthNeuroscienceGenetics and genomics

Robert Sapolsky explores the evolutionary, genetic, and neurological factors that underlie religious belief and ritual behavior.

Here is the full set of 20 lectures 1. Introduction to Human Behavioral Biology youtube.com/watch?v=NNnIGh9g6fA 2. Behavioral Evolution youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Oa4Lp5fLE 3. Behavioral Evolution II youtube.com/watch?v=oKNAzl-XN4I 4. Molecular Genetics I youtube.com/watch?v=_dRXA1_e30o 5. Molecular Genetics II youtube.com/watch?v=dFILgg9_hrU 6. Behavioral Genetics I youtube.com/watch?v=e0WZx7lUOrY 7. Behavioral Genetics II youtube.com/watch?v=RG5fN6KrDJE 8. Recognizing Relatives youtube.com/watch?v=P388gUPSq_I 9. Ethology youtube.com/watch?v=ISVaoLlW104 10. Introduction to Neuroscience I youtube.com/watch?v=5031rWXgdYo 11. Introduction to Neuroscience II youtube.com/watch?v=uqU9lmFztOU 12. Endocrinology youtube.com/watch?v=yETVsV4zfFw 13. Advanced Neurology and Endocrinology youtube.com/watch?v=kAfz0yAcOyQ 14. Limbic System youtube.com/watch?v=CAOnSbDSaOw 15. Human Sexual Behavior I youtube.com/watch?v=LOY3QH_jOtE 16. Human Sexual Behavior II youtube.com/watch?v=95OP9rSjxzw 17. Human Sexual Behavior III & Aggression I youtube.com/watch?v=JPYmarGO5jM 18. Aggression II youtube.com/watch?v=wLE71i4JJiM 19. Aggression III youtube.com/watch?v=EtVfoIkVSu8 20. Aggression IV youtube.com/watch?v=BqP4_4kr7-0 21. Chaos and Reductionism youtube.com/watch?v=_njf8jwEGRo 22. Emergence and Complexity youtube.com/watch?v=o_ZuWbX-CyE 23. Language youtube.com/watch?v=SIOQgY1tqrU 24. Schizophrenia youtube.com/watch?v=nEnklxGAmak 25. Individual Differences youtube.com/watch?v=-PpDq1WUtAw OTHER LECTURES, SPEECHES, INTERVIEWS, ETC. 26. Stanford's Robert Sapolsky On Depression youtube.com/watch?v=TIcf-2AFHgw 27. Stress and Health: From Molecules to Societies youtube.com/watch?v=XvMQQsyPirM 28. Robert Sapolsky SF Being Human Q&A youtube.com/watch?v=smBHZuMuAis 29. Human Nature talk with Robert Sapolsky, Gabor Mate, James Gilligan, Richard Wilkinson youtube.com/watch?v=o-brqskIoBw 30. The Uniqueness of Humans | Dr. Robert Sapolsky Class Day Lecture 2009 youtube.com/watch?v=GY1x8k79bZE 31. Robert Sapolsky: Are Humans Just Another Primate? youtube.com/watch?v=YWZAL64E0DI 32. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An Evening with Robert Sapolsky youtube.com/watch?v=0r6MFIZmrgU 33. Alan Alda with Robert Sapolsky of Stanford University - EXTENDED youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8xEUYrb74

Why it's here

3 people recommend this

What people say. Recommended for its fascinating exploration of how evolutionary biology, genetics, and schizotypal personality traits relate to religious practices and beliefs.

Moments people linked to

user18882in Skeptics Stack Exchange • Recommends

On “What is the commonly accepted mechanism that causes people to experience pareidolia?”

…if the other person came up with a similar conclusion. I think the core of this tendency to anthropomorphize odd shapes of materials is grounded on the making of false-positive errors or "type I errors". But the problem seems to be to answer It is adaptative? In what context? I think Sir Michael Shermer explains it quite eloquently in this debate link to this video Also, the lucidity of Mr Robert Sapolsky on the magical thinking might be helpful too link to this video In order to understand this subject of "evolution of pareidolia" we must consider the adaptative value of some behaviors, based of course on some interpretations of the world. This behavior it is not only driven/influenced by genetic information,…
1View on Stack Exchange

Momquistin Hacker News • Recommends

On “With teen mental health deteriorating over five years, there’s a likely culprit”

You're exagerating the parent's claims. It is possible that religion can reduce stress, and help against depression without being an absolute defense. Our brain may just be wired that way. This doesn't even involve God or the supernatural actually existing for these effects to be real. You should check some of the talks, and lectures by Robert Sapolsky (an atheist), who advances this in several of them. Biological Underpinnings of Religiosity: link to this video Religion Is Nature's Antidepressant: link
View on Hacker News

TremendousJudgein Hacker News • Recommends

On “Messages that can only be understood under the influence of psychedelics”

Here's a lecture by Robert Sapolsky where he goes into some theories involving schizotypal individuals (and other mental disorders) and culture: link to this video Long story short, the theory goes that being schizotypal (but not full-blown schizophrenic) could be an advantageous trait in human society, usually by filling some spiritual, ritual, or religious role in the group. These people are high status in their societies, and have many chances for passing on their genes.
View on Hacker News

oftenwrongin Hacker News • Mentions

On “The Man Who Saves You from Yourself (2013)”

"Get it wrong, and we call it a cult. Get it right, in the right time and the right place, and maybe, for the next few millennia, people won't have to go to work on your birthday." - Dr. Robert Sapolsky link to this video
View on Hacker News

FilosofumRexin Hacker News • Mentions

On “Harvard FAS Cuts PhD Seats by More Than Half”

Biology, chemical biology and parts of non-traditional chemistry, are some of the most political and elitist fields outside of social sciences. How and what is taught is not necessarily science based only, let alone, who gets in the PhD programs in the first place. Organismic and Evolutionary Biologists, like Robert Sapolsky, are right in the middle of culture wars, and always on the same side: link to this video
View on Hacker News

Mental health of Jesuson WikipediaMentions

Linked from the Wikipedia article "Mental health of Jesus" (WikiProject Medicine).
Read the article