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April 02, 2015

April 15 Honors Symposium Explores Religion’s Roots, Believer’s Brain

Voltaire famously said, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” At an Honors Symposium on Wednesday, April 15, University of Tampa Associate Professor of Psychology Scott Husband will pose the question, “Why did humans invent God(s)?” and discuss how neuroscientists are exploring the roots of religion.The presentation, “The Roots of Religion and the Believer’s Brain,” will begin at 4 p.m. in the Macdonald-Kelce Library AV Room 2, and is free and open to the public.According to Husband, religion appears to be a cross-cultural human universal, profoundly influencing the lives of billions of people in what they eat, whom they have sex with, how they raise their children and how they structure their societies.Husband will discuss evolutionary approaches in identifying the roots of religion, as well as how neuroscience is exploring brain systems that underlie the cognitive, affective and social functions of religion.Husband’s primary field of study is behavioral neuroscience with an emphasis on comparative neuroanatomy and cognition. His research goals are to contribute to the understanding of how neural circuits and neurochemistry contribute to complex perception and cognition, and to investigate brain evolution by studying the brain and the behavior of non-mammalian species.For more information, contact the Honors Program at honors@ut.edu or (813) 257-3545.

Voltaire famously said, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” At an Honors Symposium on Wednesday, April 15, University of Tampa Associate Professor of Psychology Scott Husband will pose the question, “Why did humans invent God(s)?” and discuss how neuroscientists are exploring the roots of religion.

The presentation, “The Roots of Religion and the Believer’s Brain,” will begin at 4 p.m. in the Macdonald-Kelce Library AV Room 2, and is free and open to the public.

According to Husband, religion appears to be a cross-cultural human universal, profoundly influencing the lives of billions of people in what they eat, whom they have sex with, how they raise their children and how they structure their societies.

Husband will discuss evolutionary approaches in identifying the roots of religion, as well as how neuroscience is exploring brain systems that underlie the cognitive, affective and social functions of religion.

Husband’s primary field of study is behavioral neuroscience with an emphasis on comparative neuroanatomy and cognition. His research goals are to contribute to the understanding of how neural circuits and neurochemistry contribute to complex perception and cognition, and to investigate brain evolution by studying the brain and the behavior of non-mammalian species.

For more information, contact the Honors Program at honors@ut.edu or (813) 257-3545.