Excellent Beauty: The Naturalness of Religion and the Unnaturalness of the World
Excellent Beauty: The Naturalness of Religion and the Unnaturalness of the World
Cite
Abstract
This book flips convention on its head and argues that science uncovers awe-inspiring, enduring mysteries, while religion, long regarded as the source for such mysteries, is a biological phenomenon. It argues that religion, just like spoken language, is an evolutionary adaptation. Conversely, it makes the case that science is the source of perplexing yet beautiful mysteries, however natural the search for answers may be to human existence. The book attempts to undo our misconception of scientific inquiry as an executioner of beauty, making the case that science has won the battle with religion so thoroughly it can now explain why religion persists. The book also draws deep lessons for humans flourishing from the very existence of scientific mysteries. It concludes that it is these latter wonderful, completely public truths that reveal a universe worthy of awe and wonder.
-
Front Matter
- One The Traveler to Excellent Beauty: Invited Rather than Drafted
-
Part One Of Spiritual Journeys
-
Part Two The Biology of Religion, the Psychology of Morality
-
Part Three The Journey in Tatters
-
Part Four The Heretic’s Way: Into the Mysterious Realm
-
End Matter
Sign in
Get help with accessPersonal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
Institutional access
- Sign in through your institution
- Sign in with a library card Sign in with username/password Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Sign in as administratorPurchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
October 2022 | 1 |
March 2023 | 2 |
August 2023 | 1 |
March 2024 | 1 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.