Darwin`s Cathedral – Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society

Until recently, evolution and religion have been considered contending, irreconcilable theories of origin and existence. David Sloan Wilson takes the radical step of joining the two, while thinking of society as an organism, one in which morality and religion are adaptations.

"It is not until biologist Wilson published Darwin's Cathedral that the evolutionary study of religion appears to have passed a Rubicon. . . . Fifteen years after . . ., Wilson continues to make substantial contributions to the evolutionary study of religion. . . . We appreciate and celebrate the fifteen-year anniversary of Wilson's seminal theoretical contributions in Darwin's Cathedral, which propelled the contemporary evolutionary study of religion forward. We hope that his current work has a parallel impact, encouraging collaborative fieldwork, which will ultimately advance the empirical study of religion."-- "Religion, Brain & Behavior", A Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year-- "Times Literary Supplement", "As always, Wilson writes well and clearly and in a stimulating and provocative style. The book is interesting and important, and there can be no higher praise. . . . I applaud the approach taken by Wilson, and I urge you to read Darwin's Cathedral."--Michael Ruse " Science", "Obviously, the main subject of Darwin's Cathedral--religion--is widely contentious. In addition, many of the subjects which Wilson draws to interpret religion--subjects such as group selection, adaptation, hypothesis testing, and how to 'do' science--are contentious among scientists. Discussions of these subjects tend to be partisan, oversimplified, and riddled with misstatements. A great virtue of Wilson's book is the scrupulous fairness with which he treats controversial matters. He is careful to define concepts, to assess both their range of applicability and their limitations, and to avoid posturing, misrepresentations, exaggerated claims, and cheap rhetorical devices. Thus, Wilson's book is more than just an attempt to understand religion. Even to readers with no interest in either religion or science, his book can serve as a model of how to discuss controversial subjects honestly."--Jared Diamond "New York Review of Books"

David Sloan Wilson is a professor of biology and anthropology at Binghamton University. He is the author of The Natural Selection of Populations and Communities and coauthor of Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior.