Why do humans search for religion and higher truth?

  • Thread starter Crazymechanic
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In summary, the conversation discusses various aspects of human behavior and evolution, including the role of religion, love, and language. The participants question why humans have a tendency for love and religion, and why there are so many different languages. They also consider how these factors fit into the theory of evolution and whether they are necessary for survival. The conversation concludes with the suggestion to read a book on evolution for a better understanding of these topics.
  • #1
Crazymechanic
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Hello , I'm sorry if this belongs more to some other subcategory but i will proceed.
Looking from the point of theory of evolution and all other aspects of life , the physical ones we humans are just machines , we have our bodies our brains in certain way and they work in certain way, but why despite being machines (from the physical viewpoint) why we always since the very beginning of human history have searched for religion and higher truth?
I am not saying there isn't one nor saying there is or should be one I am just thinking why do bacteria that evolved to monkey and later on to human (simplistic overall) started to see the world in "two colors"?
Because in life or in animals I guess there is no good or bad there are just a certain way of life and instinct.Also life itself just as things and facts can't be good or bad they just are , just exist but when we hear them we make a meaning to them in that very moment.
A computer for example doesn't give meaning to the information bits and digits he receives.
Would this be some kind of a philosophical proof for the existence of a soul or spirit?

I want to hear your insight and opinion.
Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Survival is enhanced by certain thing. For example, not killing one another all the time. Thus people with a tendency to group together and not kill each other is a good survival skill, and thus well call that "good". Formalization of such things into religions is a an afterthought.
 
  • #3
Ok , but then when did we decided to love? like all the time i listen to some songs by some great bands or whatever everywhere there is this tendency for humans that we commonly call in one word love, like love between two people or love for our parents and so on.
Animals don't have such a thing they just help to grow up their next generation as part of the instinct.like where did we inherited this emotion/state call whatever you want that love.? Basically parents should love their kids as that helps them to grow but as soon as they are capable of their own life they should forget their parents because they are getting old and weak and there isn't much use of them anymore, but that's not quite what we do , do we?
And love is the one thing that goes against the laws of nature like the "survives the fittest" and so on.So it surely didn't came from evolution I guess.because as I said before the physical world has only facts and figures it is us humans who tend to somehow always feel, think or come up with meanings of various kinds to those facts and figures.
like why we are the only known animals doing so?

P.S. why we have so much different languages , since when did that helped in evolution?Why there was such a turn in history and was there a one world language that people spoke some very long ago? A pretty weird turn to split into so many languages for evolution and why didn't the main language keep on while the others disappeared because according to evolution only the mo0st suitable and logic element should survive and reproduce itself? , even today it makes a lot of problems with communications and learning as we continue to develop as humans.?
 
  • #4
why we have so much different languages , since when did that helped in evolution?

Why wouldn't there be? Separate groups of people would naturally construct different languages; it would be strange if they didn't.

Basically parents should love their kids as that helps them to grow but as soon as they are capable of their own life they should forget their parents because they are getting old and weak and there isn't much use of them anymore

By what mechanism would natural selection accomplish such a thing?
 
  • #5
Crazymechanic said:
Ok , but then when did we decided to love? like all the time i listen to some songs by some great bands or whatever everywhere there is this tendency for humans that we commonly call in one word love, like love between two people or love for our parents and so on.
Animals don't have such a thing they just help to grow up their next generation as part of the instinct.like where did we inherited this emotion/state call whatever you want that love.? Basically parents should love their kids as that helps them to grow but as soon as they are capable of their own life they should forget their parents because they are getting old and weak and there isn't much use of them anymore, but that's not quite what we do , do we?
And love is the one thing that goes against the laws of nature like the "survives the fittest" and so on.So it surely didn't came from evolution I guess.because as I said before the physical world has only facts and figures it is us humans who tend to somehow always feel, think or come up with meanings of various kinds to those facts and figures.
like why we are the only known animals doing so?

P.S. why we have so much different languages , since when did that helped in evolution?Why there was such a turn in history and was there a one world language that people spoke some very long ago? A pretty weird turn to split into so many languages for evolution and why didn't the main language keep on while the others disappeared because according to evolution only the mo0st suitable and logic element should survive and reproduce itself? , even today it makes a lot of problems with communications and learning as we continue to develop as humans.?

You seem interested in evolution. I am too, and the best thing I did for my musing over evolution was to read a book on it.

To understand the basic concepts & terminology an informal book would do & be an enjoyable read (unlike a textbook).
 
  • #6
You say separate groups of people but as we know people evolved so now we are like 7 billion some 100 years ago we were much less and some I don't know 15 000 years ago we were like what? few thousand? so where did these separate groups came and why did these first people who lived on this planet and I am pretty sure they must have had a single language why did they decided to split?
the only reason that comes in mind is they didn't agree on something and that's I guess where the first wars came from.
 
  • #7
The basic underlying thing that I am trying to point out with all this is that there are two realities , the first one is all the biological , logical, physical all that we can see measure and calculate including our bodies, how they work , diseases and so on.
And then there is this abstract part about our lives all those things that we do and speak about even write books and make films that aren't actually physically real.Nor can we measure them , nor are they part of the physical evolution.
So like which part of the human body feels or understand love? Brain is just a huge CPU as I understand it and cpu just does what is being told or manages signals let's say nothing more and the same goes to nervous system and all other parts of our physical body.
So could it be real that there is more to life and evolution than we can see or measure? Another dimension .
I am sorry if this makes an open source for speculation of unproven facts.
 
  • #8
Crazymechanic said:
I am sorry if this makes an open source for speculation of unproven facts.

I'd say that is a charitable description at best.

The body is a machine? The brain is a CPU? Really? I think you have a massively over-deterministic view of the human condition.
 
  • #9
This thread is too rife with vague speculation and assertions to continue. The OP is welcome to repost concise questions after doing some research into these matters themselves rather than posting a disjointed stream of consciousness with no evidence of previous research.
 

What is the purpose of religion?

Religion serves as a way for individuals to make sense of the world around them and find meaning and purpose in their lives. It also often provides a moral code and a sense of community and belonging.

Why do humans have a need for higher truth?

Humans have a natural curiosity and desire to understand the world and their place in it. The search for higher truth can provide a sense of understanding and comfort in the face of uncertainty and existential questions.

Is the search for religion and higher truth a universal human experience?

While the specific beliefs and practices may vary, the search for religion and higher truth is a common aspect of human experience across cultures and throughout history. It is a fundamental part of the human condition.

Do all religions provide the same answers to questions of higher truth?

No, different religions offer different perspectives and explanations for questions of higher truth. These differences can be attributed to cultural, historical, and individual influences.

Can science and religion coexist in the search for truth?

There is no inherent conflict between science and religion in the search for truth. Both offer different ways of understanding the world and can complement each other in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

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