But isn't true that evolution only cares about the individual? I'm certainly no expert, but from what I understand evolution, the coherentcy of the group plays no part in natural selection except in some cases of kin.
Your idea of sacrifice/reward is something I've never heard before and certainly would make sense
...religion could be related to a tendency to obey group hierarchies...
But isn't true that evolution only cares about the individual?
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No. Evolution only cares about the GENE. However, the gene's chance of replication is determined in part by the environment that the gene is in. One factor of that environment is the social nature of the group the gene's host individual finds itself in. A gene that enables the host to get along well in a group is less likely to find it's host killed before it is replicated.
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I'm certainly no expert, but from what I understand evolution, the coherentcy of the group plays no part in natural selection except in some cases of kin.
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Coherency of a group CERTAINLY plays a part in wether an individual is able to reproduce. Take an extreme example, a person who commits murder at the age of 10, would be deemed by society to have acted in a way contrary to group coherence, and would be locked away in jail, thus reducing the chances of reproductive success.
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Your idea of sacrifice/reward is something I've never heard before and certainly would make sense
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Thanks. I am mildly proud of that idea myself, but given the way my brain works, I could have read it somewhere else and forgotten reading about it.
Or...
Those with experience of truth on the religious level have an increased knowledge of reality.
Knowledge would tend to be an advantage - evolutionary-wise of course.
No. Evolutionary theory only applies to groups. Evolution doesn't "care" about anything however; it is entirely descriptive, not normative.