Chapter 11. Metarepresentation, Homo religiosus, and Homo symbolicus

Justin L. Barrett | Centre for Anthropology & Mind Institute of Cognitive & Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford

What cognitive adaptation enabled humans to become the distinctively symbolic species that we are? Drawing upon insights from the cognitive sciences and evolutionary psychology, research in cognitive science of religion (CSR) converges on the claim that the ability to form mental representations about mental representations (metarepresentation) is a key factor enabling and encouraging religious expression. Such metarepresentation may also be the key to symbolic behaviour – including linguistic expression – more generally. If so, then the same cognitive equipment that underwrites symbolism also gave rise to religion, and the two could have evolved concurrently.

Published online: 16 November 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.168.11bar

Cited by

Cited by 5 other publications

Barrett, Justin L.

2018. Some common misunderstandings about cognitive approaches to the study of religion: a reply to Sterelny. Religion, Brain & Behavior 8:4 ► pp. 425 ff.

Barrett, Justin L. & Ryan G. Hornbeck

2017. In Religious Cognition in China [New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion, 2], ► pp. 1 ff.

Deane-Drummond, Celia

2012. CHRIST AND EVOLUTION: A DRAMA OF WISDOM?1. Zygon® 47:3 ► pp. 524 ff.

Deane-Drummond, Celia

2012. GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS IN HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS: PERFORMATIVE SOUL-MAKING AND GRACED NATURE. Zygon® 47:4 ► pp. 934 ff.

Messick, Kyle J.

2019. Evolutionary Perspectives on Unbelief: An Introduction from the Editor. Studia Humana 8:3 ► pp. 1 ff.

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 03 may 2021. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.