Evolution and Reality of Faith

 In an interview, The Evolution of Belief, Ethiran Kathiravan explores the origins of faith through the lens of evolutionary biology and sociology. He argues that faith is not a divine gift but a survival mechanism that emerged early in human history.

Faith originated from the need to predict and survive natural phenomena. For example, early humans interpreted the rustling of grass as a potential predator. Or a cat that fell in a hot water, believes that any water could be hot water. This "belief" in unseen dangers helped them survive. Faith evolved as a cognitive adaptation to an unpredictable world. In our primitive state, the ability to believe in the unseen—whether it was a hidden predator or the cyclical nature of the seasons—provided a survival advantage. It allowed early humans to navigate a dangerous environment by imposing a sense of order on chaos.

Common faith creates social cohesion. As humans formed tribes, faith became a tool to unify groups. It created a shared identity and a "God-fearing" morality that helped leaders control and organise people. As human societies grew more complex, faith shifted from a survival instinct to a social glue. The creation of deities and religious frameworks allowed for the unification of tribes, establishing a common morality and a centralised authority. While this "God-fearing" mechanism was instrumental in building civilisations, it also became a tool for control, often replacing logical governance with supernatural fear.

Faith gives psychological comfort. Faith persists today because people feel vulnerable. When political and judicial systems fail to provide security, individuals turn to supernatural beliefs (like pilgrimage or rituals) for "protection”. Interestingly, the persistence of faith in the modern era highlights a systemic failure. Kathiravan points out that when secular institutions—governments, courts, and social safety nets—fail to protect the individual, the primitive instinct for divine protection resurfaces. People do not turn to rituals because they lack literacy, but because they lack security. In this sense, faith is a "placebo" for the soul; it provides the psychological comfort and neurochemical balance necessary to endure life's uncertainties.

He acknowledges that practices like prayer or meditation have real biological effects on stress relief and brain chemistry (e.g., dopamine and serotonin), but notes these are physiological processes with physiological benefits, not evidence of the divine.

Ultimately, faith is a testament to the human brain's remarkable capacity to create meaning. While science may demystify the "God hole" in our biology, the human need for hope and belonging remains a powerful force. The challenge for modern society is to build systems so reliable and just that the desperate reliance on the supernatural becomes a choice of culture rather than a necessity for survival.

The Evolution of Belief, https://youtu.be/P_vBppz_CYc?si=x1MCCGuPJX5RsDQs