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Setting Our Own Terms: How We Used Ritual to Become Human

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Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality

Part of the book series: Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality ((SNCS,volume 1))

Abstract

Archeological evidence of the sophisticated cognitive attributes thought to define humanity – such as symbolism, language, theory of mind, and a spiritual sense – is, by and large, late-emerging (after 50,000 years before present [ybp]), postdating the emergence of anatomically modern humans (AMH). This suggests that the relevant selection pressures for these abilities did not emerge until after the arrival of the fully human body and brain. I argue that this stands to reason to reason since the selection pressure responsible for the emergence of uniquely human cognition was human-made. Human culture created human cognition. The key facet of that culture was ritual. Ritual selection pressure filtered Homo sapiens sapiens for the very cognitive attributes that made us what we are today.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA, USA

    Matt J. Rossano

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  1. , Institute for Transcultural Health Scien, European Universtiy Viadrina, Frankfurt, Grosse Scharrnstr. 59, Frankfurt, 15230, Germany

    Harald Walach

  2. , Dept. of Environmental Health Sciences, University Medical Center Freiburg, Breisacherstr. 115b, Freiburg, 79106, Germany

    Stefan Schmidt

  3. Samueli Institute, King Street 1737, Alexandria, 22314, Virginia, USA

    Wayne B. Jonas

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Rossano, M.J. (2011). Setting Our Own Terms: How We Used Ritual to Become Human. In: Walach, H., Schmidt, S., Jonas, W. (eds) Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality. Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2079-4_3

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