Post-Doctoral Fellow Connor Wood (Co-Organizer of Conference)
Conference on Evolution of Religion II: How Biology, Psychology and Culture Interact
November 12 – 15, 2017
Conference Summary: The first International Conference on the Evolution of Religion was held in Hawaii in January, 2007. It was a very large and successful conference over many days with many esteemed speakers on a broad range of topics all related to the evolution of religion. In the ensuing 10 years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of religions’ evolution and an increase in the science and religion and science and theology dialogs around this topic. One component of this dialog that is getting growing attention in the past few years is how biology, psychology, and culture interact to produce both religion and all related expressions, which is the theme of this conference. We consider that the time is ripe to connect the dots of the several programs studying religion over the past number of years, giving place to what can now be called the “new scientific study of religion.” It is important to provide a broad picture of their achievements and the registered progress. The theme of this conference, “religious evolution between biology, psychology, and culture,” will offer the occasion to conjoin biological, psychological, evolutionary, cognitive, neurological, anthropological, philosophical, and historical strands in that common endeavor to better understand this complex human feature. The transdisciplinary exchange expected at the conference should ensure a better view and an enriching academic experience.
