Rachlin, H. (2007).
Cui bono? A review of Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 87, 143-149.
The three requirements for a Darwinian evolutionary process are replication, variation and selection.
Dennett (2006) discusses various theories of how these three processes, especially selection, may have operated
in the evolution of religion. He believes that the origins of religion, like the origins of language and music,
may be approached scientifically. He hopes that such investigations will open a dialog between science and
religion leading to moderation of current religious extremism. One problem with Dennett’s program, illustrating
the difficulty of breaking away from creationist thinking, is Dennett’s own failure to consider how Darwinian
methods may be used to study evolution of behavioral patterns over the lifetime of individual organisms.
Key words: religion, evolution, science, Darwinism, teleological behaviorism, intentional stance