Daniel Dennett will speak about why we should study "religion as a natural phenomenon" with all the tools of science. In the 21st century, every global problem we confront, from political oppression and economic disparity and injustice to food and water and the environment, will be complicated by the religious allegiances of those we are trying to help.
Unless we come to understand religion a lot better than we currently do, we will probably bungle our opportunities. Treating religion as a phenomenon for scientific investigation requires abandoning aspects of our traditional deference to religion, a change that many will view with alarm, but this should not dissuade us. Until we understand the power that religion has to shape human behavior, we will continue to underestimate it, at our peril. Read More...