May 28th, 2009
We are natural-born supernaturalists
So says skeptic Michael Shermer.
He’s coined a new term called “Agenticity”: The idea that humans assign abilities to inanimate objects and concepts.
It’s basically the belief that an intelligent designer pulls the strings that affect our lives everyday.
There is now substantial evidence from cognitive neuroscience that humans readily find patterns and impart agency to them… Examples: children believe that the sun can think and follows them around; because of such beliefs, they often add smiley faces on sketched suns. Adults typically refuse to wear a mass murderer’s sweater, believing that “evil” is a supernatural force that imparts its negative agency to the wearer…
Thanks to RichardDawkins.net for the link.
