Human Brain Evolved to Believe in Gods

[Syne]

I don’t know whose idea it was. The history isn’t clear but just think about how ridiculous it is that we’ve allowed male circumcision to become the norm. Not only have you lost specialized erogenous nerve endings but a protective sheath, as well.  This sheath provides a gentle gliding mechanism that minimizes friction to the vagina. No need for vaginal rejuvenation because the foreskin contributes significantly to the sexual response of the intact male.

Studies have shown that the foreskin has no more sensitivity than the forearm. And friction isn't a problem if a guy knows how to encourage female lubrication.
Then there's the issue of minute men, and what that tends to mean for women reaching climax.

When people are complaining about the sexual appetites of men (#MeToo, street harassment, "men's entitlement", etc.), you'd think they wouldn't want them to have a significantly greater sexual response. In which case, circumcision may be a civilizing force. Who knows.

[Magical Realist]

The brain also evolved to view the earth as flat. To see one's child as the most beautiful. To assume one's life is the center of all that happens. We harbor many cognitive illusions that resulted from our evolution. This hardly means those illusions are facts. Beliefs that help us and our loved ones to survive are not necessarily true.

[Syne]

The brain also evolved to view the earth as flat. To see one's child as the most beautiful. To assume one's life is the center of all that happens. We harbor many cognitive illusions that resulted from our evolution. This hardly means those illusions are facts. Beliefs that help us and our loved ones to survive are not necessarily true.

No, the brain did not evolve to have any such specific notions, nor do faulty notions reflect on the veracity of others.
Do you have any specific examples of demonstrably false beliefs that help us survive?

[Magical Realist]

The brain also evolved to view the earth as flat. To see one's child as the most beautiful. To assume one's life is the center of all that happens. We harbor many cognitive illusions that resulted from our evolution. This hardly means those illusions are facts. Beliefs that help us and our loved ones to survive are not necessarily true.

No, the brain did not evolve to have any such specific notions, nor do faulty notions reflect on the veracity of others.
Do you have any specific examples of demonstrably false beliefs that help us survive?

All the above dimwit. Including the belief in big magical Skydaddy.

[Syne]

The brain also evolved to view the earth as flat. To see one's child as the most beautiful. To assume one's life is the center of all that happens. We harbor many cognitive illusions that resulted from our evolution. This hardly means those illusions are facts. Beliefs that help us and our loved ones to survive are not necessarily true.

No, the brain did not evolve to have any such specific notions, nor do faulty notions reflect on the veracity of others.
Do you have any specific examples of demonstrably false beliefs that help us survive?

All the above dimwit.

Ah, your usual instigation of insult...that you usually end up denying so you can hypocritically whine about others doing to you.

Believing the earth is flat aids survival? O_o
The wholly subjective view of beauty can be demonstrably false? O_o
The subjective view that your life is central to your own experience is demonstrable false? O_o

None of those are good examples. Either they are subjective and can't be proven false or they can be proven false and have no survival value whatsoever.
Hopefully you're smart enough already to know that and not be reacting emotionally just from a complete dearth of reason.

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Including the belief in big magical Skydaddy.

You cannot demonstrate that as false, nor even distinguish if it's wholly subjective and not subject to proof.

[Magical Realist]

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1...s-survive/

“Our brains are pattern-recognition machines, connecting the dots and creating meaning out of the patterns that we think we see in nature. Sometimes A really is connected to B, and sometimes it is not,” he says. “When it isn’t, we err in thinking that it is, but for the most part this process isn’t likely to remove us from the gene pool, and thus magical thinking will always be a part of the human condition.”

[Syne]

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1...s-survive/

“Our brains are pattern-recognition machines, connecting the dots and creating meaning out of the patterns that we think we see in nature. Sometimes A really is connected to B, and sometimes it is not,” he says. “When it isn’t, we err in thinking that it is, but for the most part this process isn’t likely to remove us from the gene pool, and thus magical thinking will always be a part of the human condition.”

And? That doesn't make a case for anything you've claimed.

[Magical Realist]

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1...s-survive/

“Our brains are pattern-recognition machines, connecting the dots and creating meaning out of the patterns that we think we see in nature. Sometimes A really is connected to B, and sometimes it is not,” he says. “When it isn’t, we err in thinking that it is, but for the most part this process isn’t likely to remove us from the gene pool, and thus magical thinking will always be a part of the human condition.”

And? That doesn't make a case for anything you've claimed.  

Bullshit it doesn't. False beliefs, ie. superstitions, that help us to survive? That's what you were asking for.

[Syne]

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1...s-survive/

“Our brains are pattern-recognition machines, connecting the dots and creating meaning out of the patterns that we think we see in nature. Sometimes A really is connected to B, and sometimes it is not,” he says. “When it isn’t, we err in thinking that it is, but for the most part this process isn’t likely to remove us from the gene pool, and thus magical thinking will always be a part of the human condition.”

And? That doesn't make a case for anything you've claimed.  

Bullshit it doesn't. False beliefs, ie. superstitions, that help us to survive? That's what you were asking for.

No, there's a big difference between a false belief that helps us survive (your claim) and a false belief that just doesn't have a counter-survival cost (this article's claim).
Nor does that article validate any of your nonsense examples. The only solid example they give is of "alternative and homeopathic remedies" which they say “The chances are that most of them don’t do anything, but some of them do". Humans can take that chance because being wrong has no survival cost, not because being wrong has a survival value.

Learn to read your own citations.

[Magical Realist]

No, there's a big difference between a false belief that helps us survive (your claim) and a false belief that just doesn't have a counter-survival cost (this article's claim).

Wrong. The example was given:

"In general, an animal must balance the cost of being right with the cost of being wrong, Foster says. Throw in the chances that a real lion, and not wind, makes the rustling sound, and you can predict superstitious beliefs, he says.

Real and false associations become even cloudier when multiple potential “causes” portend an event. Rustling leaves and say, a full moon, might precede a lion’s arrival, tilting the balance toward superstition more than a single “cause” would, Foster explains."

IOW, a superstition can result in survival favoring behavior and still be just a stupid superstition.

The examples given confirm that. A parent's estimate of the absolute value of their child's life is a false belief, yet it works in favor of the survival of the child. A belief that events happen for your own sake is a false belief, yet it works in favor in your own survival. Delusions can often contribute to one's own survival. Just like the belief in a benevolent magical Skydaddy.