dr wilson, a renowned evolutionary biologist, proposes that religion - with all its institutional, emotional and prescriptive trappings - ranks as a kind of mega-adaptation: a trait that evolved because it conferred advantages on those who bore it.



but whereas evolutionary biologists traditionally view an adaptation as the outcome of a struggle between unevenly matched individuals - say, between one polar bear with a cleanly cloaking white coat, and another with a slightly less effective form of camouflage - dr wilson sees religion as the product of group selection at work.

-the origin of religions, from a distinctly darwinian view-



this article touches on some ideas that i feel might be the root of all religion. at least for me. religion as social contruct and adaptation. religion evolved as a way to keep humans moving along and living harmoniously together. i'm gonna have to try to check out his book and see what his expanded ideas are.