Dr. Robert Sapolsky's lecture about Biological Underpinnings of Religiosity
Why Hacker News recommends it
Recommended when religion, mental health or psychedelics come up, for Sapolsky's biological framing.
What it is
Robert Sapolsky's Stanford lecture on the biological underpinnings of religiosity, from his human behavioral biology course. It covers theories linking religion to stress, and schizotypal traits.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2014 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Recommends Momquist · 2018-01 · on “With teen mental health deteriorating over five years, there’s a likely culprit”
You're exagerating the parent's claims. It is possible that religion can reduce stress, and help against depression without being an absolute defense. Our brain may just be wired that way. This doesn't even involve God or the supernatural actually existing for these effects to be real. You should check some of the talks, and lectures by Robert Sapolsky (an atheist), who advances this in several of them. Biological Underpinnings of Religiosity: [this video] Religion Is Nature's Antidepressant: [LINK]
Recommends TremendousJudge · 2023-06 · on “Messages that can only be understood under the influence of psychedelics”
Here's a lecture by Robert Sapolsky where he goes into some theories involving schizotypal individuals (and other mental disorders) and culture: [this video] Long story short, the theory goes that being schizotypal (but not full-blown schizophrenic) could be an advantageous trait in human society, usually by filling some spiritual, ritual, or religious role in the group. These people are high status in their societies, and have many chances for passing on their genes.
Cites oftenwrong · 2014-06 · on “The Man Who Saves You from Yourself (2013)”
"Get it wrong, and we call it a cult. Get it right, in the right time and the right place, and maybe, for the next few millennia, people won't have to go to work on your birthday." - Dr. Robert Sapolsky [this video]
Cites FilosofumRex · 2025-10 · on “Harvard FAS Cuts PhD Seats by More Than Half”
Biology, chemical biology and parts of non-traditional chemistry, are some of the most political and elitist fields outside of social sciences. How and what is taught is not necessarily science based only, let alone, who gets in the PhD programs in the first place. Organismic and Evolutionary Biologists, like Robert Sapolsky, are right in the middle of culture wars, and always on the same side: [this video]