Description
Book SynopsisThis text explains why beliefs in supernatural forces - ghosts, poltergeists, witches, and spirits - are based on universal experience. The author aims to demonstrate that age-old healing rituals such as chanting and rythmic dancing have scientifically verifiable benefits.
Trade Review"Provocative and challenging.... Fascinating reading."—Journal of Religion and Society
"An important contribution to religious studies, anthropology, and evolutionary psychology... there is nothing like it."—William Irons, Northwestern University
"A valuable fresh perspective on the intersection of religious and anomalous experiences, the behavioral sciences, and evolutionary theory."—Transcultural Psychiatry
Table of ContentsTable of Contents
Introduction: Evolution and Religion
1. The Evolution of Wondrous Healing
2. Fertility, Childbirth, and Suggestion
3. The Anthropology of Wondrous Healing
4. Wondrous Healing, Hypnotizability, and Folklore
5. The Seeds of Religion
6. When the Seeds of Religion Sprout
Conclusion: Criticisms and Challenges
Appendix
Notes
References
Index
