Do you think the news item about Liberal/Conservative thinking has any R&S implications?

Question

In case you missed it, here's the link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070909/hl_afp/scienceneuroscience_070909173324

What kind of affect do you think this may have on a person's religious choices?

Answer 1

I think this really goes back to the old "Nature versus Nurture" debate. Are we by nature hard wired to be more inclined towards one belief or the other, or does out environment shape us to be inclined one way or the other? I personally think it's a little bit of both with more emphasis on our environment.

Perhaps those who are hard wired to be more liberal are the ones who stray away from their parents beliefs (religious or political) and find their own way. For example a person who is raised in a conservative Christian home growing up to be a liberal atheist.

Answer 2

Well, I'm a hard wired liberal and I don't buy the fundie fear doctorine for one minute. I'm a Unity/NewAge/Spirtualist person by practice.

BUT, as a Liberal, I also believe that EVERY religon has something good to offer and I am free to select what I want from each. That way I get the most good. For the most part, I am very, very tolerant of religous and cultural differences in people.

Answer 3

I have read about Jeff thinking about leaving. Given his past, I didn't know what to think. I don't want him to go, but he's not gonna stay on my accord. Anyway, I'm glad that he's at least thinking about staying. He may not be the best technical wrestler in the world, but he's one of the most exciting wrestlers in the biz today. Everybody is great in their own way, Bret Hart is great for his technical skills. Hulk Hogan is great for being one of the best entertainers in history. Jeff is great for his high flying skills. Look at it this way, Bret Hart never did a swanton off a 16 foot high ladder onto D-Von Dudley on a table on the ramp. Hulk Hogan never walked across two ladders then did a legdrop off the ladder onto Edge, putting him through another ladder. Jeff is unique in his own way that makes him great.

Answer 4

I think the "conservative" brain pattern is more likely to accept dogma. And it does suggest that these patterns could be nurture rather than nature, so those brought up in religious / conservative environs may be more likely to develope that way, but I suspect there is more to it than that. For instance, my parents are both pretty conservative, but having moved around a lot as a child, I was forced to become comfortable with change, so that could have affected my neural make-up to make me liberal.

Eh, who knows. :-)

Answer 5

You do realize this is a "proof" for predestination.

I'm personally not a total fan of predestination, but it is clearly a proof.

It states you are what you are because you were made that way, not because of how you were formed psychologically or sociologically.

It also is a proof for the concept you can't teach and old dog new tricks.

Answer 6

I must be the exception to the rule, I guess. I've gotten more liberal politically as I've gotten older, yet I do still crave more stability in my own life as well. I'm a freak, what can I say?

Answer 7

I haven't read the papers, but from that story they correlated this as hereditary, which I think may not be a valid conclusion. It seems just as likely that it is environment which would determine this, such as upbringing.


Christy ♥: Good point. I take it back.

Answer 8

Crucially, I don't think it will lead either side to think that their way of thinking is in any way the "wrong" way.

So no, I don't think there are any implications, even if it offers some kind of psychological explanation. If it does.