Genetic Models, Religion, and Society
Model predicts 'religiosity gene' will dominate society
Rowthorn has developed a model that shows that the genetic components that predispose a person toward religion are currently “hitchhiking” on the back of the religious cultural practice of high fertility rates. Even if some of the people who are born to religious parents defect from religion and become secular, the religious genes they carry (which encompass other personality traits, such as obedience and conservativism) will still spread throughout society, according to the model’s numerical simulations.
Source at physorg. Comments at source are bringing the lulz, read at your own risk.
Rowthorn's model is clearly a tremendous oversimplification. I'm posting this because I had never considered this aspect of the intermix of society and genetics and I found the implications thought-provoking.
Rowthorn has developed a model that shows that the genetic components that predispose a person toward religion are currently “hitchhiking” on the back of the religious cultural practice of high fertility rates. Even if some of the people who are born to religious parents defect from religion and become secular, the religious genes they carry (which encompass other personality traits, such as obedience and conservativism) will still spread throughout society, according to the model’s numerical simulations.
Source at physorg. Comments at source are bringing the lulz, read at your own risk.
Rowthorn's model is clearly a tremendous oversimplification. I'm posting this because I had never considered this aspect of the intermix of society and genetics and I found the implications thought-provoking.