NMC Library

The illusion of God's presence : (Record no. 33645)

MARC details
000 -LEADER
fixed length control field 03843nam a22003858i 4500
001 - CONTROL NUMBER
control field 2015030319
003 - CONTROL NUMBER IDENTIFIER
control field DLC
005 - DATE AND TIME OF LATEST TRANSACTION
control field 20190729110516.0
008 - FIXED-LENGTH DATA ELEMENTS--GENERAL INFORMATION
fixed length control field 150803s2016 nyu b 001 0 eng
010 ## - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER
LC control number 2015030319
020 ## - INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER
International Standard Book Number 9781633880740 (hardcover)
020 ## - INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER
Canceled/invalid ISBN 9781633880757 (e-book)
040 ## - CATALOGING SOURCE
Original cataloging agency DLC
Language of cataloging eng
Description conventions rda
Transcribing agency DLC
Modifying agency MvI
042 ## - AUTHENTICATION CODE
Authentication code pcc
050 00 - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CALL NUMBER
Classification number BL53
Item number .W324 2016
082 00 - DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION NUMBER
Classification number 204/.2
Edition number 23
100 1# - MAIN ENTRY--PERSONAL NAME
Personal name Wathey, John C.,
Dates associated with a name 1953-
245 14 - TITLE STATEMENT
Title The illusion of God's presence :
Remainder of title the biological origins of spiritual longing /
Statement of responsibility, etc. by John C. Wathey.
263 ## - PROJECTED PUBLICATION DATE
Projected publication date 1601
264 #1 - PRODUCTION, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, MANUFACTURE, AND COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Place of production, publication, distribution, manufacture Amherst, NY :
Name of producer, publisher, distributor, manufacturer Prometheus Books,
Date of production, publication, distribution, manufacture, or copyright notice 2016.
300 ## - PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Extent pages cm
336 ## - CONTENT TYPE
Content type term text
Content type code txt
Source rdacontent
337 ## - MEDIA TYPE
Media type term unmediated
Media type code n
Source rdamedia
338 ## - CARRIER TYPE
Carrier type term volume
Carrier type code nc
Source rdacarrier
504 ## - BIBLIOGRAPHY, ETC. NOTE
Bibliography, etc. note Includes bibliographical references and index.
505 0# - FORMATTED CONTENTS NOTE
Formatted contents note Seeing God in a new light. Is God beyond the reach of science? ; Illusions can be broken ; The elephant in the room ; The God-shaped vacuum -- Evidence and questions. Infantile imagery in religion ; The nature and nurture of religious experience ; Two biological roots: social cooperation and neonatal survival ; Is God an evolutionary hack? ; From cuttlefish to cults ; Creator, mother, fluid, etc. ; Does an infant have a mind? ; A trick of the brain ; The supernormal phantom -- Personal implications. The illusion of immortality ; What if God is not real? -- Appendix 1: the stumbling block of creationism -- Appendix 2: a psychometric test.
520 ## - SUMMARY, ETC.
Summary, etc. "An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion. Biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey, a veteran neuroscientist, argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet. Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion." -- Publisher's description
596 ## -
-- 1
650 #0 - SUBJECT ADDED ENTRY--TOPICAL TERM
Topical term or geographic name entry element Experience (Religion)
650 #0 - SUBJECT ADDED ENTRY--TOPICAL TERM
Topical term or geographic name entry element Religion and science.
650 #0 - SUBJECT ADDED ENTRY--TOPICAL TERM
Topical term or geographic name entry element Biology
General subdivision Religious aspects
-- Christianity.
948 ## - LOCAL PROCESSING INFORMATION (OCLC); SERIES PART DESIGNATOR (RLIN)
Series part designator, SPT (RLIN) u613141
949 ## - LOCAL PROCESSING INFORMATION (OCLC)
a BL53 .W324 2016
w LC
c 1
h EY8Z
i 33039001397743
903 ## - LOCAL DATA ELEMENT C, LDC (RLIN)
a 33645
Holdings
Withdrawn status Lost status Source of classification or shelving scheme Damaged status Not for loan Shelving location Date acquired Total Checkouts Full call number Barcode Date last seen Date last checked out Copy number Koha item type
    Library of Congress Classification     Stacks 06/19/2018 1 BL53 .W324 2016 33039001397743 06/16/2023 04/17/2023 1 Book

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