New Post: Philosophy of Religion
Diane Proudfoot, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
Research
Agent-Based Modeling
This is an article in our new series exploring and explaining the concepts that underlie our research. Many of our projects integrate highly involved, deeply technical theories and methods, which can be hard to understand without proper training. These posts…
New Post: Philosophy of Religion
Charles Taliaferro, Professor and Chair of Philosophy at St. Olaf College, answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
Complexity
This is the first article in our new series exploring and explaining the concepts that underlie our research. Many of our projects integrate highly involved, deeply technical theories and methods, which can be hard to understand without proper training. These…
New Post: Philosophy of Religion
Timothy Knepper, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Drake University, answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
Rhythm, Synchrony and Complex Social Coordination: An Imperfect Fit
Here’s an interesting fact: no other animals can keep a beat as well as humans can. From drumming to dancing to marching in time, humans have a unique knack for synchrony – repetitive, rhythmically entrained, social behavior. Researchers have found…
A Letter from Our Executive Director on the Conclusion of MRP
Dear Friends, June 30th, 2018 is the final day of the Modeling Religion Project. I’m writing to thank you for joining me on this amazing journey. At the Center for Mind and Culture (CMAC), and its Institute for the Bio-Cultural…
New Publication: Modeling Çatalhöyük
Research Associate LeRon Shults and Executive Director Wesley Wildman Chapter in Religion, History and Place in the Origin of Settled Life, ed. Ian Hodder July 2018 Book Summary: This volume explores the role of religion and ritual in the origin of settled life…
New Post: Philosophy of Religion
Ilaria L. E. Ramelli, Full Professor of Theology and Senior Research Fellow at Durham University, answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
Building the MODCompanion
We are faced with decisions and forced to make calculations on a daily basis. Which bus should I take to be on time to work? Which restaurant has the fastest service? What is the quickest route to school? When we…
Presentation: The Birth of Transcendence
Research Associate LeRon Shults Seventh International Conference of the Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought: Evolution and Transcendence June 20, 2018 Conference Summary: The theme of the 2018 IARPT conference is human transcendence considered in light of biocultural evolution. Central…
Conceptualizing the Structure of Sex Trafficking: A Dynamic Model
If we want to develop a practical solution for something as challenging and urgent as the issue of child sex trafficking, we have to first understand the situation on a conceptual level. That is – who participates in this industry…
Finding the Top Authors in the Scientific Study of Religion
Who are the most important living scholars studying religion today? The responses will vary widely, depending on how we measure influence or impact on the field. One useful metric is the amount of publications. The new question then becomes “who…
Religion is Uniquely Human, but Computer Simulations May Help us Understand Religious Behavior
CMAC’s Executive Director Dr. Wesley J. Wildman wrote the following article for The Conversation, summarizing some of the findings of the Modeling Religion Project. It is reprinted below with permission. This article has also been featured in the San Francisco…
New Post: Philosophy of Religion
John Schellenberg, Professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Vincent University (Canada), answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
The Social Foundations of Cognitive Styles
Are religious people less analytical thinkers? A growing body of research suggests that the answer is “yes.” For one thing, religious believers perform more poorly on tests of analytical (“System 2”) intelligence, instead showing a preference for intuitive thinking styles…
New Publication: The Dopamine System, Parkinson’s Disease and Language Function
Founding Director Patrick McNamara and Co-Author Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences Special Issue: The Evolution of Language June 2018 Abstract: The mesocortical dopaminergic system innervates two major forebrain networks important in language processing: the frontal–parietal network (FPN) and the ‘social brain’…
New Publication: Signs and Signals
Post-Doctoral Fellow Joel Daniels Chapter in Reasonable Radical? Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy 2018 Book Summary: One of the most interesting voices in the Academy and the Church today is Martyn Percy. Percy, the Dean of Christ Church Oxford and a…
New Post: Philosophy of Religion
James McLachlan, Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Western Carolina University, answers the question: ‘What values or norms define excellent philosophy of religion?’ at PhilosophyofReligion.Org Read it Here
New Publication: Rethinking the Diffusion of Renewable Energy Policies
Khatera Alizada Energy Research & Social Science Volume 44 October 2018 Abstract: This article examines the global diffusion of two dominant renewable energy policies: feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS). It focuses on four mechanisms of policy diffusion: emulation,…