The Nostalgia for Origins

Religion, Evolution, Cognition and Memory

Carl Olson author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Anthem Press

Published:11th Jun '24

Should be back in stock very soon

The Nostalgia for Origins cover

A possible source for the origin of religion, founded within Darwinian natural selection and building upon more recent cognitive studies.

This book examines a possible source for the origin of religion, using the theory of evolution and findings from cognitive science. It adds a theory of power to suggest the agency of early Homo sapiens.

Using the theme of nostalgia for origins, this work proposes to examine the origin of religion within the context of the theory of evolution and the development of the human brain. It is argued that Darwin’s concept of natural selection gives the impression of making Homo sapiens passive recipients of the process of evolution. To overcome this false impression and conform to the spirit of Darwin’s theory, this work proposes to supplement Darwin’s theory by introducing a will to power into it that gives Homo sapiens agency to gain power and empower themselves to survive. This achievement of empowerment has important consequences because it gives Homo sapiens an opportunity to invent religion and supernatural beings by means of their intuitive experiences, performing like natural by-products of the operation of evolution. The human body and brain play essential roles in the process of evolution and development of religion, a form of power that binds humans to transcendent powers, empowers them, unites them into enduring social units, represents one of the elements of the beginning of human culture, and enhances their chances for survival. Because of its subject matter and approach, this work includes a critical appraisal of scholars using the results of cognitive science research. Because Homo sapiens invented supernatural beings and religion, it seems irresponsible for a contemporary individual to choose to become an atheist, an option that is explored in the final chapter about whether religion has a future.

“In this engaging book, Carl Olson presents a view of religion in terms of evolution and power that needs to be read. While not everyone will agree with it, this book expresses its view with clarity and conviction.” —Gavin Flood, Oxford University, UK.


“The book makes an original, very provocative and useful contribution to the study of religion. At the core, the author uses an evolutionary model of the origin of Homo sapiens and religion, a story in which religion makes its appearance as a human creation at the beginning of evolutionary human history. This argument has been supported by a wide range of areas of scholarship, covering anthropology, history, evolutionary theory, studies of bodies and brains and cognition.” —Dr. Will Braun, University of Alberta, Canada. 

ISBN: 9781839990519

Dimensions: 229mm x 153mm x 13mm

Weight: 454g

166 pages