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February 2022

February 28, 2022

So Long, Pax Americana

War has returned to Europe after a long, dreamy sabbatical. Russia’s troops and tanks are...

December 2021

December 30, 2021

More Signal, Less Noise

A while back, I left formal academia. In the post where I announced that decision,...

January 2021

January 12, 2021

The Symbolism of Old Gods and the U.S. Capitol Assault

On January 6th, 2021, a herd of conspiracy maniacs stormed the United States Capitol. A...

August 2020

August 27, 2020

The Human Need for Culture

Some interesting battle lines have formed in the past few months.* We Americans had gotten...

April 2020

April 27, 2020

Liberal Democracy, Science, and the End of the End of History

Are we living through the end of the end of history – that is, the...

August 2019

August 12, 2019

The Future of Religion: What Follows the Decline of “Big Gods?”

A recent article at the BBC argues that the future of religion might be found...

July 2019

July 03, 2019

First Came the Temple – Then the City?

Looking at the world's towns and cities from above, a fascinating pattern appears: we build...

May 2019

May 10, 2019

Is Ritual a Tool for Resilience?

In complex systems, too much efficiency can lead to a loss of resilience. Ritual and...

January 2018

January 25, 2018

Can secular societies sustain themselves?

Is religion headed for extinction? If we look at the rare conditions that sustain the...

October 2017

October 17, 2017

Individualism Is on the Rise Worldwide

Individualism is on the upswing all across the world, new research shows. How will this...

April 2017

April 04, 2017

Is a global community really possible?

This was supposed to be an era of globalism and tolerance. But if we want...

March 2017

March 21, 2017

A computer model of atheism?

Will secularism continue to grow? Computer models suggest that the answer worldwide is "not really."

December 2016

December 21, 2016

Social media is toxic. Religious studies tells us why.

Why does social media bring out the worst in us? Religious studies tells us that...

January 2016

January 21, 2016

Think the Muslim world needs to “reform?” Think again

If we want a future with less Islamist terrorism, we want the opposite of a...

December 2014

December 24, 2014

The age of extreme opinions

Agreeable, conscientious people are more likely to obey orders to harm other people. What does...

November 2014

November 14, 2014

Want to understand religion? You’ve gotta have a body.

Religious experience is something that comes from what bodies do. What goes on in our...

August 2014

August 25, 2014

Do we have free will when it comes to mental illness?

Mental illness arises from complex interactions between the self, the social environment, and our own...

August 18, 2014

Mental illness: it’s not just in our brains.

Our idea that mental illness just "happens" is dangerous. It's not your fault if you're...

July 2014

July 21, 2014

Nerd culture, the new aristocracy

Nerd culture is a form of aristocracy. Try mentioning that you study religion in a...

May 2014

May 27, 2014

4 neat theories of religion

Here's Part 1 of a list of very smart and interesting people with profound theories...

March 2014

March 12, 2014

Big changes are coming to politics in America. Here’s why

Libertarians and social conservatives are headed for divorce. So are liberal Democrats and working-class minorities....

December 2013

December 06, 2013

Religion, imagination, and secret worlds

Why do religions seem to create such strong communities? Partly, it's because they help people...

October 2013

October 11, 2013

Why Are There Atheists?

Certain aspects of personality orientation may naturally lead some people to religious belief and others...

August 2013

August 13, 2013

The “Religion vs. Creativity” Debate Rages On

Even in the most integrated, holistic community, where everyone shares the same basic cosmological assumptions,...

July 2013

July 03, 2013

Why aren’t religious people as creative as unbelievers?

Let's be honest: religion and creativity don't always mix. The world's fashion designers, rock musicians,...

February 2013

February 22, 2013

Rise in elder Korean suicides: A reminder that religion matters

The New York Times reports that South Korea's rise in suicides among the elderly may...

February 08, 2013

Does suffering drive us to religion? Yep.

A nationwide values survey in New Zealand captures fascinating changes in New Zealanders' religiosity after...

December 2012

December 20, 2012

Europeans increasingly drawn to the occult

The U.S. is backwards and religious, while Europe is filled with enlightened atheists. Right? Not...

August 2012

August 13, 2012

Is religion disappearing?

Does increased modernity and economic development really lead to a decline in religion? Political scientists...