Jesse Bering on ‘The Belief Instinct’

The Takeaway

Why do some of us believe in God? Why do we grapple for meaning and a sense of purpose in our everyday lives?Author, Jesse Bering explores whether humans are evolutionarily designed to believe in a higher power in his new book, “The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life.”

Bering says that evolution has shaped us into religious beings. Beyond that, he finds that even though there is no scientific proof that god exists, believing in god has psychological and health benefits.

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