Science and ReligiouS anthRopology Science and Religious Anthropology explores the convergence of the biological sciences, human sciences, and humanities around a spiritually evocative, naturalistic vision of human life. the disciplinary contributions are at different levels of complexity, from evolution of brains to existential longings, and from embodied sociality to ecosystem habitat. the resulting interpretation of the human condition supports some aspects of traditional theological thinking in the world’s religious traditions while seriously challenging other aspects. Wesley Wildman draws out these implications for philosophical and religious anthropology and argues that the modern secular interpretation of humanity is most compatible with a religious form of naturalistic humanism. this book resists the reduction of meaning and value questions while taking scientific theories about human life with full seriousness. It argues for a religious interpretation of human beings as bodily creatures emerging within a natural environment that permits engagement with the valuational potentials of reality. this engagement promotes socially borne spiritual quests to realize and harmonize values in everything human beings do, from the forging of cultures to the crafting of personal convictions. ashgate Science and Religion Series Series Editors: Roger trigg, University of Warwick, UK J. Wentzel van huyssteen, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA Science and religion have often been thought to be at loggerheads but much contemporary work in this flourishing interdisciplinary field suggests this is far from the case. the Ashgate Science and Religion Series presents exciting new work to advance interdisciplinary study, research and debate across key themes in science and religion, exploring the philosophical relations between the physical and social sciences on the one hand and religious belief on the other. contemporary issues in philosophy and theology are debated, as are prevailing cultural assumptions arising from the ‘post-modernist’ distaste for many forms of reasoning. the series enables leading international authors from a range of different disciplinary perspectives to apply the insights of the various sciences, theology and philosophy and look at the relations between the different disciplines and the rational connections that can be made between them. these accessible, stimulating new contributions to key topics across science and religion will appeal particularly to individual academics and researchers, graduates, postgraduates and upper-undergraduate students. Other titles published in this series: Theology, Psychology and the Plural Self léon turner 9780754665199 (hbk) Creation: Law and Probability edited by Fraser Watts 9780754658900 (pbk) Christology and Science F. leRon Shults 9780754652243 (hbk) 9780754652311 (pbk) Mind, Brain and the Elusive Soul Human Systems of Cognitive Science and Religion Mark graves 9780754662266 (hbk) Science and Religious anthropology a Spiritually evocative naturalist interpretation of human life WeSley J. WildMan Boston University, USA © Wesley J. Wildman 2009 all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Wesley J. Wildman has asserted his right under the copyright, designs and patents act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. published by ashgate publishing limited ashgate publishing company Wey court east Suite 420 union Road 101 cherry Street Farnham Burlington Surrey, gu9 7pt Vt 05401-4405 england uSa www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Wildman, Wesley J., 1961– Science and religious anthropology: a spiritually evocative naturalist interpretation of human life – (ashgate science and religion series) 1. theological anthropology. 2. philosophical anthropology. 3. naturalism – Religious aspects. 4. Religion and science. i. title ii. Series 218-dc22 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wildman, Wesley J., 1961– Science and religious anthropology: a spiritually evocative naturalist interpretation of human life / Wesley J. Wildman. p. cm. – (ashgate science and religion series) includes bibliographical references and index. iSBn 978-0-7546-6592-2 (hardcover: alk. paper) – 1. Religion and science. 2. anthropology of religion. 3. theological anthropology. i. title. Bl240.3.W53 2009 215–dc22 2009011255 iSBn 9780754665922 (hbk) iSBn 9780754696704 (ebk.V) For the graduates, students, and faculty of Boston University’ s doctoral program in Science, Philosophy, and Religion This page has been left blank intentionally contents List of Figures and Tables ix Foreword xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xxi PARt I PRELImINARIES 1 inquiry 3 2 naturalism 19 PARt II PERSPECtIvES 3 evolution 35 4 groups 61 5 Brains 87 6 Bodies 117 7 Sex 143 8 habitat 173 PARt III FINDINgS 9 Homo Religiosus 209 Cited Works 233 Name Index 253 Subject Index 259 This page has been left blank intentionally list of Figures and tables Figures 1 Relationships among all types of experiences discussed 136 tables 1 Factors discriminating key terms that evolutionary psychologists use to describe the evolutionary status of a biological or behavioral feature 51 2 Classification of broad types of religious anthropology 221