Religious Animals: Evolution of Mysticism & Spirit - Dr. Jack Wathey, DSPod #216

Get your DEMYSTICON 2024 tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/demysticon-2024-tickets-727054969987 Today we meet up with neuroscientist Dr. Jack Wathey to explore the biological underpinnings of human spirituality. We map out the boundary between scientific and religious truth, unraveling the roots of religion and the evolutionary significance of mystical experiences. From the dynamics of belief systems to the enduring impact of mythology, this episode goes deep into the fascinating interplay between biology and our innate need for spiritual connection. Tell us what you think in the comments or on our Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub Support DSPod & Dr. Wathey when you pick up his books here: https://amzn.to/3SgIAQX Sign up for a yearly Patreon membership for discounted conference tickets: https://bit.ly/3lcAasB (00:00) Go! (00:00:17) Biological approach to religion (00:04:47) Humans as religious animals (00:14:14) Male & Female deities vs. monotheism (00:26:38) Power of genesis' archetypical narratives (00:38:24) True in science v. religion (00:50:47) Political v. religious leaders (01:02:34) Disaster of value-neutrality in science (01:16:59) What if biology was purely mathematical like physics (01:29:58) Is mysticism here forever? (01:42:48) Is mythology here to stay (01:54:52) Can we even survive without a unified celebration of moral values? (02:08:27) Optimism about the future of the species? (02:16:57) Wrap #EvolutionOfBelief, #MysticalJourney, #SpiritualExploration, #BiologyOfReligion, #SacredNature, #MythologyUnveiled, #BeliefSystems, #SpiritualEvolution, #BioSpirituality, #AncientWisdom, #DivineConnections, #EvolutionaryMysticism, #SpiritualInquiry, #MythicNarratives, #BeliefsAndBiology, #SacredScience, #BiologistInsights, #ReligiousEvolution, #HumanSpirituality, #MysticalNature #science #sciencepodcast #podcast Check our short-films channel, @DemystifySci: https://www.youtube.com/c/DemystifyingScience AND our material science investigations of atomics, @MaterialAtomics https://www.youtube.com/@MaterialAtomics Join our mailing list https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S PODCAST INFO: Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia University. When not talking to brilliant people or making movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both freelance professors at various universities. - Blog: http://DemystifySci.com/blog - RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rss - Donate: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaD - Swag: https://bit.ly/2PXdC2y SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySci MUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671