Dominic Johnson’s challenging new book argues that religion was an evolutionary advantage. Ranging over the cognitive science of religion, anthropology, game theory, psychology and a history of God, and supported by an impressive array of case studies and experiment results, he makes a compelling case we wouldn’t live in a world where biologists exist without religious belief. He concludes that the belief we live under supernatural guidance is not a relic of superstition that might someday be left behind, but an evolutionary adaptation. It’s a conclusion that is anathema to atheists like Richard Dawkins for whom religion is a poisonous delusion. This is an insightful and provocative book. As Johnson puts it, “Whether you are a believer, an agnostic, or an atheist, this book is about you.”
