What believing in God does to your brain
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Researchers found humans suppress the analytical
areas of their brain in order to believe in God
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The study also found those with spiritual beliefs were more empathetic than those without.




Humans suppress areas of the brain used for
analytical thinking and engage the parts responsible
for empathy in order to believe in "God", research
suggests.

They do the opposite when thinking about the
physical world, according to the study.

"When there's a question of faith, from the analytic
point of view, it may seem absurd," said Professor
Tony Jack, who led the research.

"But, from what we understand about the brain, the
leap of faith to belief in the supernatural amounts to
pushing aside the critical/analytical way of thinking to help us achieve greater social and emotional insight."


The countries in the world with the most "convinced atheists." Countries in grey were not surveyed.



In an analysis of eight experiments, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers also found people with faith were more empathetic than those without.

The researchers examined the relationship between
the belief in God and measures of analytic thinking
and moral concern in eight experiments, each using
between 159 and 527 adult participants.

Although both spiritual belief and empathic concern
were positively associated with frequency of prayer
or meditation, neither were predicted by social
contact - such as church dinners - associated with
religious affilation.

In earlier research, Professor Jack's Brain, Mind &
Consciousness laboratory used an fMRI machine to
show the brain has an analytical network of neurons
that enables humans think critically and a social
network to empathise.


"Because of the tension between networks, pushing
aside a naturalistic world view enables you to delve
deeper into the social/emotional side," Professor
Jack explained.

"And that may be the key to why beliefs in the supernatural exist throughout the history of cultures. It appeals to an essentially nonmaterial way of understanding the world and our place in it."



The researchers said the human brain explores the
world using both networks. When presented with a
physics problem or ethical dilemma, a healthy brain
activates the appropriate network while suppressing
the other.


Such suppression may lead to the conflict between
science and religion, the researchers added.

"Because the networks suppress each other, they
may create two extremes," said Richard Boyatzis,
professor of organisational behavior at Case Western Reserve University.


"Recognising that this is how the brain operates,
maybe we can create more reason and balance in the national conversations involving science and
religion."

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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/what-believing-in-god-does-to-your-brain-a6950956.html

Attaining a balance between both networks should be key then?!

That's likely the centre of focus... "Finding the balance". That's a major part of the key.

I honestly think attaining an equilibrium will bring about a much better angle of viewing "the whole picture"

RobinHez:
Attaining a balance between both networks should be key then?!