How We Believe by Shermer, Michael -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Epigraph Title Page Epigraph Table of Contents PREFACE - The God Question INTRODUCTION TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION - The Gradual Illumination of the Mind Part I - GOD AND BELIEF

Chapter 1 - DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?

A LEAP OF FAITH A BREACH IN THE FAITH THE ART OF THE INSOLUBLE WHAT IS GOD? THE FAITH OF THE FLATLANDERS

Chapter 2 - IS GOD DEAD?

GOD IN THE 1960s TIME AND GOD GOD’S RESURRECTION SUPPLY-SIDE RELIGION AND THE SECULARIZATION OF THE WORLD SOCIAL INDICATORS OF GOD SACRED SCIENCE

Chapter 3 - THE BELIEF ENGINE

THE PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMAL THE MEDIEVAL BELIEF ENGINE THE MODERN BELIEF ENGINE TALKING TWADDLE WITH THE DEAD

Chapter 4 - WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD

SEEING THE PATTERN OF GOD IS BELIEF IN GOD GENETICALLY PROGRAMMED? IS THERE A GOD MODULE IN THE BRAIN? GOD AS MEME SCIENTISTS’ BELIEF IN GOD WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL REASONS TO BELIEVE ALL’S RIGHT WITH GOD IN HIS HEAVEN

Chapter 5 - O YE OF LITTLE FAITH

PHILOSOPHICAL ARGUMENTS FOR GOD SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS FOR GOD THE NEW COSMOLOGY THE NEW CREATIONISM THE BIBLE CODE THE REAL MEANING OF ARGUMENTS FOR GOD

Part II - RELIGION AND SCIENCE

Chapter 6 - IN A MIRROR DIMLY, THEN FACE TO FACE

A THREE-TIERED MODEL OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE MORAL COURAGE AND NOBILITY OF SPIRIT

Chapter 7 - THE STORYTELLING ANIMAL

THE HOW AND THE WHY: IN SEARCH OF DEEPER ANSWERS FROM PATTERN-SEEKING TO STORYTELLING FROM STORYTELLING TO MYTHMAKING FROM MYTHMAKING TO MORALITY FROM MORALITY TO RELIGION FROM RELIGION TO GOD

Chapter 8 - GOD AND THE GHOST DANCE

THE GHOST DANCE AS MYTHMAKING THE 1890 GHOST DANCE THE ETERNAL, RETURN OF THE GHOST DANCE THE CARGO CULT GHOST DANCE JESUS AS MESSIAH MYTH WHY THE MESSIAH MYTH RETURNS

Chapter 9 - THE FIRE THAT WILL CLEANSE

WHAT IS THE MILLENNIUM? WHEN PROPHECY FAILS—A.D. 1000 WHEN PROPHECY FAILS—A.D. 2000 THE LURE OF THE MILLENNIUM HEAVEN ON EARTH SECULAR HEAVENS HOLDING THE CENTER

Chapter 10 - GLORIOUS CONTINGENCY

IF THE TAPE WERE PLAYED TWICE THE MISMEASURE OF CONTINGENCY CONTINGENT-NECESSITY GLORIOUS CONTINGENCY: A LITTLE TWIG CALLED HOMO SAPIENS THE FULL IMPACT OF CONTINGENCY CONTINGENCY AND FREEDOM IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE FINDING MEANING IN A CONTINGENT UNIVERSE

AFTERWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION - God on the Brain APPENDIX I - What Does It Mean to Study Religion Scientifically? Or, How Social Scientists “Do” Science APPENDIX II - Why People Believe in God—The Data and Statistics A Bibliographic Essay on Theism, Atheism, and Why People Believe in God NOTES CREDITS INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR Copyright Page