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Summary: The "Book Review" Part of the Brain
Review: Alper's book leaves me wondering about the selection pressures that led to the neural component which compels me to write this review. Okay--that's facetious. I actually found that the book does a nice job of presenting the foundations of a reasonable theory about the permeating presence of God and religion in human history. Alper's basic idea is that the enduring importance of faith and spiritual apsects of mankind can be attributed to the idea that these aspects are feelings, similar in nature to other emotive constructs, that serve a purpose with regard to man's survival. While he guides us along a fairly speculative journey, his ideas are certainly framed in a scientific manner, and he provides many interesting points to consider. Unlike some previous reviewers, I never felt insulted by his arguments or premise. I was not disturbed by his lack of biological detail, but I do think Alper could have been a little more adament in reminding us that the mechanics of biological evolution are at a different resolution (i.e. the gene level) than the grandiose abstractions that tend to click a little better in a reader's mind. I would also liked to have seen a little more consideration given to less rigid biological perspectives on the theory. Alper places a lot of emphasis on the biologically determined container (the "God" part) but does not adequately qualify his assumptions around what is biologically fixed about the container. His assumption is that we have a religious container, and culture dumps some kind of religion into it. But it could be that the container is a capacity for group cohesiveness (traits which promote human grouping into huge civilizations) and culture dumps the generality of religion into it--or something along those lines. While he does have arguments around his inferred scope regarding cultures that have developed in isolation of one another, we can use a memetic argument which parallels the concurrent development of the eye along isolated evolutionary paths to suggest that perhaps religion repeatedly pops up for reasons that aren't so constrained to such a specialized brain "module." Ironically, one should certainly consider that if the author is correct, perhaps similar inherited aspects of our brain physiology prevent most from ever believing him.
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Summary: rather platitudinous
Review: As a staunch atheist and a person who is very interested in the psychological/scientific implications of religion...believe me when i say that I really wanted to like this book. The editorial aspect is the usual regurgitated jargun, and I have to say that I was very disappointed by the lack of cold, hard scientific research. If the concept of this book interests you then you should pick of any number of books from Richard Dawkins, who is a much better writer and backs up every sentence that he types with scientific findings.
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Summary: For the intellectually curious, this is as good as it gets!
Review: I am a grad student in the evolutionary sciences and for years have been trudging along trying to find some comprehensible connection between the natural sciences and humankind's quest for spiritual certainty. After reading vast tomes of science as well as many of the world's religious texts, I was convinced that these two fields of study were utterly irreconciliable, that it until I read this book. Finally, I feel that I now have a tangible solution to the problem of spirit and God that makes perfect logical sense. And though I am sure that the author's [atheistic] conclusion will probably upset many readers (and based on some of the reviews I've read, this apparently seems to be the case), I think that anyone from skeptics to the religious can benefit from reading this book. I found it both challenging, logical, thought provoking and inspirational and recommend it whole heartedly to everyone with an open and curious mind.
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Summary: Heard him on the radio...bought the book...terrific!
Review: I first came across this new science being coined "neurotheology" or what the author more aptly refers to as "bio-theology" when I read Newsweek's cover story several years ago titled "God and the Brain: Are we 'wired' for spirituality?" Finding this subject fascinating, I did a search on all books related to this field and worked my way through a great deal of them. From the works of Newberg, Albright and several others, I found their writings bland and incomplete. They were all apparently onto something, but they didn't seem to know what this was. Then I found Matthew Alper's The God Part of the Brain and found what I was looking for. Here, the author in a relatively small (though amazingly dense) work has pulled together every aspect of the scientific study of religion. Not only that, but he advances the most convincing explanation I've yet to come across as to why we evolved such a trait as spiritual consciousness. The book is then capped with a philosophical commentary as to how we, as a species, need to address this new research in order to advance mankind. Bio-theology, the evolutionary science of spirituality and religion, I predict will be the most relevant sociological and philosophical study of this coming century. While the world is engaged in religious war, this author provides answers and explanations that may be pivotal in resolving our modern conflict, something I agree with the author that if we don't come to terms with, we may very well destroy ourselves. Let me also note that those who might feel intimidated by the topics of cognitive and evolutionary science will find the book easy to read and brilliant in its lucidity and logic.
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Summary: An Intellectual Awakening
Review: I have just finished reading the "God" Part of the Brain, and I feel like I have experienced a spiritual awakening much like the ones described in the book. Only this awakening is like an intellectual awakening that I have never before experienced. As a psychology professor for the last twenty years with an intense interest in evolutionary psychology, I was amazed at the clarity and logic of the research presented on the topic of religiosity and spirituality. I hope the author will continue to do research in this area as well as on other topics as I believe he has much to offer the human race. I especially liked the final message which I feel can be used to create a more compassionate world.
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Summary: A must read for any inquiring mind on the subject matter.
Review: I just finished reading Matthew Alper's book titled "The God Part of the Brain". I found it very interesting, intriguing, and eye opening to a whole new possibility of thinking. While I will not divulge everything of the book and all his examples and explanations I will try to summarize the basis of the book. The basis of the book is that the author, Matthew Alper is explaining his research using mechanical means of explanation of a God or a god(s) using the means of science/psychology/religion in seeking to find out about a belief in a God or god(s). The main idea of the book is that mankind through evolution and natural selection has been physiologically "hard-wired" to a belief in a transcendental/immortal/ethereal soul in a spiritual reality and the existence of our concept of a God or god(s). Mr. Alper suggests in his book that mankind through his evolution at one time was unaware of his existence, or rather his existence as being mortal. Alper goes on to suggest that over a period of time through evolution the ego (i.e. mankind's own personal conscious) became consciously aware of his mortality thus creating an anxiety in mankind. This newfound anxiety of mankind becoming aware of his own mortality created in mankind by means of evolution and natural selection created a cognitive part of the brain which Matthew Alper terms the "god part of the brain" This "god part of the brain" enabled mankind to relieve his anxiety and fear of death by means of having a cognitive belief in a transcendental/immortal/ethereal soul and the existence of a God or god(s). Read with an open and inquiring mind!
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Summary: Poorly Researched
Review: I only had to look briefly at the last few chapters of this book (especially the one on Near Death Experience) to infer that the author didn't do much homework. This is a not-so-artfully contrived homily by yet another wanna-be priest of scientism. Being (close) to a Ph.D. myself in Cognitive Science, I'm always confused by the willingness of certain of my colleagues to oversimplify. The NDE chapter adressed anoxia, ketamine, and various other "causes" of NDE's, but completely ignored the fact that out-of-body experiences are had all the time outside of the narrow range of conditions he specifies. He also fails to explain the tens of thousands of NDE's with strange components, such as clinically dead folks coming back, and telling doctors of happenings elsewhere in the hospital (happening while they were dead), being completely outside of any ability of the experiencer to perceive. In other words, it's usually good practice to believe half of what you hear, and take even less to heart. I find it somewhat laughable that authors like Alper consider themselves "rationalists." All I can get out of it is that he's a poor philosopher of science.
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Summary: I love this book! I put this one right next to my Top Five G
Review: I really liked this book. I am an avid reader and would recommend adding this book to your must read list. Another book that really impressed me is Psychic Gifts in the Christian Life - Tools to Connect, by Tiffany Snow, pub. 2003. In this time of increasing awareness for the need to help our relationships, workplace, family, self and environment, these two books are at the forefront of giving us the tools to do so - not only by positive reinforcements, but in the case of "Psychic Gifts," showing we have a Divine birthright to access the supernatural in our lives, and how to tap into that. I encourage you to Keep Reading, apply what you learn, and be a force for good in your part of the world.
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Summary: Disproving God using bugs in a petri dish?
Review: If all the matter in the universe was created after the Big Bang, then what happened to produce the Big Bang? To me the Big Bang seems just as much a mystery as God. I guess, for some people, it's an easier leap of faith to believe that the universe magically created itself! Nothing that we've observed in nature creates itself. The first law of thermodynamics is the conservation of energy, which means nothing new is created. All the material that exists in the universe has been present from the beginning. Any physicist can tell you that. But how everything started in the first place is still a mystery. So what's the bigger leap of faith, that God created the universe, or that it just magically happened? Either way, they're both miracles. Maybe there is a "God" part of the brain. Big deal. What does that have to do with the Big Bang or a possible Creator? At least we have the brain power to rationally think about God or the Big Bang. Unlike a fish or bacteria, which is what Mr. Alper compares us to. It's not credible to disprove God by simply comparing behavior responses in tiny organisms with those of humans. Why is there not a "Big Bang" part of the brain then? You see, humans believe in God because there actually is a rational reason to do so. Though science shows us where and when the universe began it can't explain how or why. See, people aren't dumb. But maybe if you're a bug or bacteria the Big Bang is good enough for ya. Don't need to concern yourself with what might've occured beforehand. that would require too much thinking.
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Summary: Heard him on the radio...bought the book...terrific!
Review: In a word, profound! Easy to read. I loved it!
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