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Cultural adaptation and evolved, general-purpose cognitive mechanisms are sufficient to explain belief in souls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 December 2006

Kenneth R. Livingston
Kenneth R. Livingston*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Program in Cognitive Science, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY12604-0479
*
livingst@vassar.edu
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Abstract:

It is suggested that general-purpose cognitive modules are the proper endophenotypes on which evolution has operated, not special purpose belief modules. These general-purpose modules operate to extract adaptive cultural patterns. Belief in souls may be adaptive and based in evolved systems without requiring that a specific cognitive system has evolved to support just such beliefs.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , October 2006 , pp. 479 - 480
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

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