New Research Says That Analytic Thinking Decreases Religious Beliefe

p0intman · 2012-04-30, 03:24 PM

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-0...us-belief.html

In other words, religion is a scam and there is no god, because if you seriously think about it...

Zulthus · 2012-04-30, 05:07 PM

herewego.avi

Figment · 2012-04-30, 05:35 PM

Not sure if this warrants a new topic. Fits in the "science vs religion" thread as it is about different ways of thinking.

Sirisian · 2012-04-30, 07:30 PM

Yeah this probably didn't need it's own thread. I did read this today:
As You Inch Towards Death, You’re More Likely to Start Believing in God

Figment · 2012-05-01, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by Sirisian

Yeah this probably didn't need it's own thread. I did read this today:
As You Inch Towards Death, You’re More Likely to Start Believing in God

Then again, it's also more likely that those of old age *40-70* actually went to church in their youngest years. A single survey is unlikely to yield appropriate results, those polls should be taken every 5 years to get an idea if that's true for every generation.

**Malorn** · 2012-04-30, 08:13 PM

Meh.

CutterJohn · 2012-05-01, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Malorn

Fail research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correla...mply_causation

The other alternative, if the results are accurate, is that people with a religious belief are less likely to think analytically. In either case, it doesn't paint a particularly rosy picture.

**Malorn** · 2012-05-14, 02:03 AM

Meh.

p0intman · 2012-05-14, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Malorn

Your logic is flawed. There are more than two explanations.

The article also has a bit of a misleading title leading people to come to the wrong conclusion about what they actually discovered.

What they did was create tasks that required analytical thinking to solve, and then immediately afterwards measured a baseline of "belief" (which was most likely a self-report questionnaire). They compared the results to individuals who did not perform analytical thinking tasks.

What they measured was immediate, not long-term, and as he says here it's a temporary condition. It's also one that may have little to do with religious belief - accessing that part of the brain could makes one question all manner of information. Or what they observed may have been specific to Western culture. It may have been related to the manner in which we are educated. It could be that the way we are taught to analytically solve problems is by questioning, so when we are in that 'mode' we question everything, but it may be different for someone of a different culture.

There are many explanations, and the coverage of the article has an inflammatory title that many athiests are clearly using as a weapon against those of faith. They are looking at the research and making the causation/correlation fallacy and twisting the findings of the research for their own purposes.

I'm still not sure if your arguments in favor of a god are a troll, or you really are that daft. I like to think you're smarter than that...

**Malorn** · 2012-05-14, 12:28 PM

Meh.

RawketLawnchair · 2012-05-06, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Malorn

Fail research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correla...mply_causation

I'm going with this.
I may be "Atheist" in my belief but I know tons of people who are religious and open minded at the same time.

Red Beard · 2012-04-30, 11:25 PM

Excellent analytical thinking Malorn!

*high five*

Coreldan · 2012-05-06, 02:27 PM

Now.. if we actually think...

If you believe and God didn't exist, you lose nothing. However, if you don't believe and God existed after all, you go to hell or something else nasty

Now, obviously this means its smarter to believe than not to believe.

-insert trollface here-

Warborn · 2012-05-06, 02:42 PM

As education level rises, belief in religion declines. That's been known for a while.

Originally Posted by Coreldan

Now.. if we actually think...

If you believe and God didn't exist, you lose nothing. However, if you don't believe and God existed after all, you go to hell or something else nasty

Now, obviously this means its smarter to believe than not to believe.

-insert trollface here-

This assumes God is a retard. What if God is actually not a mongoloid and calls you on your bullshit? What if the people who go to heaven are the smart, critically-thinking non-believers who aren't taken in by phony religions? Maybe heaven is like MENSA and God is a pedantic nerd who only wants other smart, incredulous people to hang out with for eternity, rather than fawning morons who think it'd actually be fun to do nothing other than praise God for being God for eternity?

p0intman · 2012-05-07, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Warborn

As education level rises, belief in religion declines. That's been known for a while.

This assumes God is a retard. What if God is actually not a mongoloid and calls you on your bullshit? What if the people who go to heaven are the smart, critically-thinking non-believers who aren't taken in by phony religions? Maybe heaven is like MENSA and God is a pedantic nerd who only wants other smart, incredulous people to hang out with for eternity, rather than fawning morons who think it'd actually be fun to do nothing other than praise God for being God for eternity?

It would imply I would want to spend eternity anywhere. Eternity in an unchanging, absolute utopia would eventually turn into being boring, and eventually torture.

The same kind of torture most religions claim will be inflicted if I refuse to go along with their farce.