Justin L. Barrett

Justin L. Barrett (born 1971) is senior researcher of the Centre for Anthropology and Mind and The Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University.

Career

Barrett earned degree a B.A. in psychology from Calvin College and a Ph.D in experimental psychology (cognitive and developmental focus) from Cornell University. He served on the psychology faculties of Calvin College and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and as a research fellow of the Institute for Social Research.

Dr. Barrett is a founding editor of the "Journal of Cognition & Culture" and is author of numerous articles and chapters concerning the cognitive science of religion [ [http://www.evolutionofreligion.org/speakers.php?s=Justin+Barrett Speakers Bio Hawaii conference of the evolution of religion] ] [ [http://www.isca.ox.ac.uk/staff/publications/justin.barrett.shtml Barrett's Selected Publications] at the University of Oxford website]

Views on Evolution of Religious Belief

Barrett is described in the New York Times as a "prominent member of the byproduct camp" and "an observant Christian who believes in “an all-knowing, all-powerful, perfectly good God who brought the universe into being,” [and] “that the purpose for people is to love God and love each other.” He considers that “Christian theology teaches that people were crafted by God to be in a loving relationship with him and other people, Why wouldn’t God, then, design us in such a way as to find belief in divinity quite natural?” Having a scientific explanation for mental phenomena does not mean we should stop believing in them. “Suppose science produces a convincing account for why I think my wife loves me — should I then stop believing that she does?” [New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/magazine/04evolution.t.html?pagewanted=11&ei=5087%0A&em&en=166dbd9e75680e73&ex=1173243600 Darwin's God] March 4, 2007]

Why would anyone believe in God

In his book "Why would anyone believe in God" he suggests that "belief in God is an almost inevitable consequence of the kind of minds we have. Most of what we believe comes from mental tools working below our conscious awareness. And what we believe consciously is in large part driven by these unconscious beliefs." and "that beliefs in gods match up well with these automatic assumptions; beliefs in an all-knowing, all-powerful God match up even better." [ [http://www.altamirapress.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=%5EDB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0759106673 Book description ] - see also the preface [http://www.altamirapress.com/Chapters/Index.shtml?SKU=0759106673&Site=altamirapress&Title=Why%20Would%20Anyone%20Believe%20in%20God%3F&FileType=PDF online here] ]

Back Cover Comments

* Pascal Boyer of Washington University in St. Louis describes it as "A brilliant and challenging presentation of the cognitive study of religion, by a psychologist who practically invented the field. Barrett marries exceptional conceptual rigour with an easy, accessible style. This should provide a much-needed guide for students and scholars of religion as well as a roadmap for future developments in the field." [reviews not otherwise sourced quoted from [http://www.altamirapress.com/Catalog/Reviews.shtml?command=Search&db=^DB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0759106673 publisher's site] ]

* Nicholas Wolterstorff of Yale University states "For millennia, philosophers and others have offered explanations of religious belief. Barrett's discussion challenges every explanation I know of, doing so on the basis of fascinating and innovative empirical studies, and acute philosophical analysis. His theory is innovative, compelling, and provocative at many points, not least in its conclusion that theism, not atheism, is our natural condition. It's the sort of book that shakes up the field; all philosophers and psychologists of religion will have to take account of it."

* Robert Hinde of Cambridge University suggests "In a beautifully argued presentation, Justin Barrett brings together diverse material from cognitive psychology to show that belief in God is natural. Belief is intuitively satisfying because it depends on mental tools possessed by all human beings. That it is natural does not imply that it is true, for the mental tools were elaborated through natural and cultural selection to help humans survive, not to find truth. This book will become a classic for religious studies, and should be read by anthropologists, theologians, and scientists, as well as all those puzzled by the force of religion."

ee also

* Evolutionary epistemology
* Evolutionary psychology
* Faith and rationality
* Relationship between religion and science
* Cognitive science of religion

Books

* His book "Why Would Anyone Believe in God?" (AltaMira, 2004) presents a scientific account for the prevalence of religious beliefs. It represents the field's first relatively comprehensive introduction intended for a general audience " [ "Religion Compass" 1(2007)]

elected Articles

* "Cognitive Science of Religion: What is it and Why is it?" "Religion Compass" 1(2007). Provides a brief review of cognitive science and religion.
* "Exploring the Natural Foundations of Religion," "Trends in Cognitive Sciences," 2000, vol.4 pp 29-34

Notes & References