Re: The God Spots in the Brain

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> > > The God Spot
> > >
> > > We evolved with a "god spot," a desire and need to look toward
something
> > > beyond us, something that can provide meaning and direction for our
> lives,
> > > our high and low experiences, and can help us understand and control
> what
> > > goes on in the world around us. With what do we fill that spot? I
> propose
> > in
> > > this series of lectures to explore how our forebears achieved this
tens
> of
> > > thousands of years ago and how infants do so today. Such barely
> culturated
> > > experiences and beliefs teach about what the god that adequately fills
> the
> > > god spot must satisfy. The lectures continue by describing how
> > Christianity
> > > has, does, and might better fill this god spot in each of us.
> > >
> > > http://www.ksharpe.com/word/EP36.htm
> > >
> > > ----------------------------
> > >
> > > Believers from every tradition and around the world have reported
> similar
> > > sensations of religious experience - a feeling of completeness,
absence
> of
> > > self, or oneness with the universe, feelings of peace, freedom from
> fear,
> > > ecstatic joy, visions of a Supreme Being.
> > >
> > > With the aid of new technology that allows them to watch the brain in
> > > action, a group of scientists - sometimes described as
> > "neurotheologists" -
> > > have tried to explain how such experiences occur and perhaps even why.
> > >
> > > "There are certain [brain] patterns that can be generated
experimentally
> > > that will generate the sense, presence and the feeling of God-like
> > > experiences," says professor of Neuroscience Michael Persinger of
> > Ontario's
> > > Laurentia University. "The patterns we use are complex but they
imitate
> > what
> > > the brain does normally."
> > >
> > > Persinger originally set out to explore the nature of creativity and
> sense
> > > of self. But his research into patterns of brain activity led him to
> delve
> > > into the nature of mystical experiences as well.
> > >
> > > To do this Persinger puts his subjects in a quiet room, depriving them
> of
> > > light and sound, so that the nerve cells typically involved in seeing
> and
> > > hearing are not stimulated. Then he applies a magnetic field pattern
> over
> > > the right hemisphere of the brain.
> > >
> > > Persinger was asked if his work leads him to conclude that "God," or
the
> > > experience of God, is solely the creation of brain-wave activity.
> > >
> > > "My point of view is, 'Let's measure it.' Let's keep an open mind and
> > > realize maybe there is no God; maybe there might be," says Persinger.
> > "We're
> > > not going to answer it by arguments - we're going to answer it by
> > > measurement and understanding the areas of the brain that generate the
> > > experience and the patterns that experimentally produce it in the
> > > laboratory."
> > >
> > > Mind, Body and Belief
> > >
> > > To others who have thought deeply about religion, that is a conclusion
> > that
> > > far outstrips the evidence - a scientific leap of faith, if you will.
> > >
> > > "They have isolated one small aspect of religious experience and they
> are
> > > identifying that with the whole of religion," says John Haught,
> professor
> > of
> > > theology at Georgetown University.
> > >
> > > Religion "is not all meditative bliss. It also involves moments when
you
> > > feel abandoned by God," says Haught. "It involves commitments and
> > suffering
> > > and struggle.. Religion is visiting widows and orphans; it is
symbolism
> > and
> > > myth and story and much richer things."
> > >
> > > Persinger says he is less concerned with trying to prove or disprove
the
> > > existence of God than with understanding and documenting the
experience.
> > > However, in his view, "if we have to draw conclusions now, based upon
> the
> > > data, the answer would be more on the fact that there is no deity."
> > >
> > > He is clear about an underlying motivation of his work - a fear that
> > > unscrupulous people might use techniques to provoke a spiritual
> experience
> > > to control people.
> > >
> > > But Persinger also acknowledges a more positive possibility: "If you
> look
> > at
> > > the spontaneous cases of people who have God experiences and
> conversions,
> > > their health improves," he says. "So if we can understand the patterns
> of
> > > activity that generate this experience, we may also be able to
> understand
> > > how to have the brain - and hence the body - cure itself."
> > >
> > > What Prayer Does
> > >
> > > That search for the mind-body connection also motivates the work of
> other
> > > researchers, such as Professor Andrew Newberg at the University of
> > > Pennsylvania.
> > >
> > > "Whether there is a God or not in some senses isn't as relevant to the
> > kind
> > > of research we're doing so much as understanding why those feelings
and
> > > experiences are important to us as human beings," he says.
> > >
> > > Newberg observed the brains of Tibetan Buddhists and Franciscan nuns
as
> > they
> > > engaged in deep prayer and mediation by injecting radioactive dye, or
> > > "tracer" as the subject entered a deep meditative state, then
> > photographing
> > > the results with a high tech imaging camera. He found that "when
people
> > > meditate they have significantly increased activity in the frontal
> area -
> > > the attention area of the brain - and decreased activity in that
> > orientation
> > > part of the brain."
> > >
> > > Many of these changes occur whether people are praying (focusing on
> > oneness
> > > with a deity) or meditating (focusing on oneness with the universe).
But
> > > there are differences, in that prayer activates the "language center"
in
> > the
> > > brain, while the "visual center" is engaged by meditation.
> > >
> > > Either way, Newberg finds that the sense of "unity," or "oneness"
> > > experienced by his subjects is a real, biological event. And he
> > acknowledges
> > > the limits of his own work: He currently lacks a means to measure the
> > > neurological events associated with other religious practices - such
as
> > > caring for the poor or ecstatic worship.
> > >
> > > "Our work really points to the fact that these are very complex kinds
of
> > > feelings and experiences that affect us on many different levels,"
says
> > > Newberg. "There is no one simple way of looking at these kinds of
> > > questions."
> > >
> > > Science and the Afterlife
> > >
> > > Across the country, at the University of Arizona, professor of
Neurology
> > and
> > > Psychiatry Gary Schwartz would probably say: "Amen" to that.
> > >
> > > Perhaps the most controversial of the group of researchers dedicated
to
> > > studying the "God spot" in the brain, Schwartz explores the question
of
> > > whether consciousness survives death with the help of mediums (people
> who
> > > demonstrate unusual accuracy in describing intimate attributes of the
> dead
> > > to those who knew them well).
> > >
> > > His experiments compare the brain waves and heart rates of both the
> medium
> > > and the person for whom he or she is trying to contact the dead.
> > >
> > > "One of the fundamental questions is, 'How does a medium receive this
> kind
> > > of information?'" he explains. "To what extent are they using specific
> > > regions of the brain which are purportedly associated with other kinds
> of
> > > mystical or religious experiences?"
> > >
> > > Schwartz says his research "is actually a window or a doorway, if you
> > will,
> > > to a much larger spiritual reality which integrates ancient wisdom
with
> > > contemporary science."
> > >
> > > He concludes that the human brain is wired to receive signals from
what
> he
> > > calls a "Grand Organizing Design," or G.O.D.
> > >
> > > "Survival of conscience tells us that consciousness does not require a
> > > brain, that our memories, our intentions, our intelligence, our
dreams?
> > all
> > > of that can exist outside of the physical body," says Schwartz. "Now,
by
> > the
> > > way, that's the same idea that we have about God - that something that
> is
> > > "invisible," that is "bigger than all of us," which we cannot see, can
> > have
> > > intellect, creativity, intention, memory and can influence the
> universe."
> > >
> > > The Quest for Larger Things
> > >
> > > Like the other researchers interviewed for Nightline, Schwartz
suggests
> > that
> > > his work has taken him on a personal spiritual journey, requiring him
to
> > ask
> > > himself hard questions about science, faith, and reason. And Schwartz
> says
> > > that rather than diminishing faith, inquiries like his should enlarge
> the
> > > world's understanding of it.
> > >
> > > On that point, he and theologian John Haught agree.
> > >
> > > "Faith is the sense of being grasped by this higher dimension, or more
> > > comprehensive, or deeper reality," says Haught. "If we could come up
> with
> > > clear proof or an absolutely mathematically lucid proof or
verification
> of
> > > deity, then that would not be deity - it would be something smaller
than
> > > us.."
> > >
> > > http://tinyurl.com/wpob
> > >
> > > ----------------------------
> > >
> > > Scientists, philosophers and atheists have long argued that God and
> > > spirituality are constructs of the human mind, although that opinion
> > > generally hasn't been a popular one. After centuries of bloody holy
wars
> > and
> > > fierce theological dispute, the controversy of the Creator's existence
> has
> > > taken a strange new turn: humanity may finally have uncovered tangible
> > > evidence that the phenomenon of religious faith is all in our heads.
> > >
> > > Literally.
> > >
> > > A group of neuroscientists at the University of California at San
Diego
> > has
> > > identified a region of the human brain that appears to be linked to
> > thoughts
> > > of spiritual matters and prayer. Their findings tentatively suggest
that
> > we
> > > as a species are genetically programmed to believe in God.
> > >
> > > The researchers came upon these cerebral revelations in the course of
> > > studying the brain patterns of certain people with epilepsy.
Epileptics
> > who
> > > suffer a particular type of seizure are often intensely religious, and
> are
> > > known to report an unusual number of spiritually-oriented visions and
> > > obsessions. Measurements of electrical activity in the brains of test
> > > subjects indicated a specific neural center in the temporal lobe that
> > flared
> > > up at times when the subjects thought about God. This same area was
also
> a
> > > common focal point overloaded with electrical discharges during their
> > > epileptic seizures.
> > >
> > > Could this heretofore unidentified part of the brain -- nicknamed the
> "God
> > > module" -- actually be some sort of physiological seat of religious
> > belief?
> > > The scientists who discovered it believe it might be. They have
> performed
> > a
> > > further study comparing epileptic subjects with different groups of
> > > non-epileptics -- a random group of average people, as well as
> individuals
> > > who characterized themselves as extremely religious. The electrical
> brain
> > > activity of the subjects was recorded while they were shown a series
of
> > > words, and the God module zones of the epileptics and the religious
> group
> > > exhibited similar responses to words involving God and faith. No word
> yet
> > on
> > > whether the brains of atheists and agnostics might flatline the
> monitors,
> > > but the parallel results among the strong believers are considered
> > > impressive.
> > >
> > > "There may be dedicated neural machinery in the temporal lobes
concerned
> > > with religion," the research team announced at a conference for the
> > Society
> > > for Neuroscience. "This may have evolved to impose order and stability
> on
> > > society."
> > >
> > > Anthropologists and Darwinian theorists have frequently speculated
that
> > > religion may have developed as a self-policing mechanism as
cooperation
> > with
> > > others became useful. With their intelligence and skills at making
> > weapons,
> > > there was little to stop early humans from slaughtering each other
like
> > wild
> > > maniacs, until they began to fear unseen beings even bigger and badder
> > than
> > > themselves. This sort of adaptation has always been considered a
purely
> > > psychological function, but now we have the first evidence that the
> > > religious instinct may be physically hard-wired right into our
noggins.
> > >
> > > Which brings us to the most intriguing conundrum posed by the
discovery
> of
> > > the God Spot. It's a double-edged sword shoved right through the heart
> of
> > > the science vs. religion debate, bearing either good news or bad news
> for
> > > the faithful masses depending on how you answer the chicken-or-the-egg
> > > question: does it mean that God created our brains, or that our brains
> > > created God?
> > >
> > > "These studies do not in any way negate the validity of religious
> > experience
> > > or God," the God module's discoverers took care to note, plainly
> > > anticipating a reception of fire and brimstone from certain quarters.
> > "They
> > > merely provide an explanation in terms of brain regions that may be
> > > involved."
> > >
> > > No matter how inconclusive or sketchy they label their findings as
> being,
> > > these scientists will inevitably be denounced as heathenistic
> blasphemers
> > > doing the work of Satan. Yet at the very same time, other equally
devout
> > > worshipers will praise this discovery as a beautiful and wondrous
> epiphany
> > > that spells out God's great plan.
> > >
> > > So what'll it be? A sacred temple in the temporal lobes, or an
> incidental
> > > conflagration of the synapses? The Kingdom of Heaven confined to the
> > insides
> > > of our skulls, or "I think of God, therefore He is"? Touched in the
head
> > by
> > > an angel, or brainwashed into belief by biology?
> > >
> > > Believe what you want, but either way, I think those who draw any
> serious
> > > mechanistic or teleological conclusions from this research ought to
have
> > > their heads examined, as well.
> > >
> > > http://tinyurl.com/r3ik
> > >
> > > -------------------------------
> > >
> > > An article in Nov 17th, 2001 edition of New Scientist magazine claimed
> > that
> > > the prophet Ezekiel probably suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy. It
> > > maintains that many of the typical, tell-tale signs are there, such as
> > > fainting spells, temporary bouts of speechlessness, aggression,
> delusions,
> > > compulsive writing, and excessive religiousness.
> > >
> > > There is nothing particularly original about the New Scientist's
claim.
> > For
> > > many years now, there has been a suspicion that people like St Paul,
St.
> > > Joan of Arc, St. Teresa of Avila and Mohammed may have suffered from
> what
> > is
> > > sometimes referred to as the 'sacred disease.' It is also quite
possible
> > > that, like them, Ezekiel was a victim of the same malady.
> > >
> > > In recent times, many neuroscientists have carried out brain research
> > which
> > > has tended to confirm that epilepsy and religiosity are often
> > > interconnected. For example, in 1998, Vilayanur Ramachandran, of San
> Diego
> > > University, published a book entitled, Phantoms in the Brain. In it he
> > > maintained that, following seizures, about 25 per cent of epileptics
> > report
> > > deeply moving spiritual experiences. They include a feeling of a
divine
> > > presence and a sense of direct communication with God. Everything
around
> > > them is imbued with cosmic significance. They may say, "I finally
> > understand
> > > what it is all about... Suddenly it all makes sense... I have insight
> into
> > > the true nature of the universe."
> > >
> > > As a result of examining the epileptics who report such significant
> > > religious experiences, Ramachandran and other researchers have
suggested
> > > that there appears to be a "God spot" in the left temporal lobe of the
> > > brain. Briefly put, they suspect that epileptic seizures cause damage
to
> > > some of the pathways which connect the area of the brain that deals
with
> > > sensory information to the one that gives such information emotional
> > > significance. As a result, these patients can perceive an unusual
depth
> of
> > > spiritual meaning in every object and event. Ramachandran goes on to
ask
> a
> > > provocative question: if a surgeon removed a portion of the temporal
> lobe,
> > > would he be performing a "Godectomy"?
> > >
> > > http://www.redemptoristpublications.com/reality/sept02/godspot.html
> > >
> > > ----------------------------
> > >
> > > Seizures and the Sight of God
> > > Isabella Eguae-Obazee
> > > Researchers interested in the connection of the brain and religion
have
> > > examined the experiences of people suffering from Temporal Lobe
> Epilepsy.
> > > Apparently the increased electrical activity in the brain resulting
from
> > > seizure activity (abnormal electrical activity within localized
portions
> > of
> > > the brain), makes sufferers more susceptible to having religious
> > experiences
> > > including visions of supernatural beings and near death experiences
> (NDEs)
> > > (9). Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) sufferers also may become
increasingly
> > > obsessed with religion, the study and practice of it (1). Why is it
that
> > > this form of epilepsy results in religious experiences among the other
> > > supernatural experiences possible? Can people who have never studied
or
> > > practiced religion be susceptible to these same religious experiences?
> Why
> > > do some interested researchers claim that such notable figures as Paul
> on
> > > the road to Damascus, Joan of Arc, Ellen White of the Seventh-Day
> > Adventist
> > > Church and other persons suffered from TLE because of their range of
> > > reported experiences with God, angels, and demons (1,3)? In my first
> > paper,
> > > I highlighted the connection scientists have made between religious
> > > experience and the brain. In this paper, I intend to focus on Temporal
> > Lobe
> > > Epilepsy, as one of those connections, specifically the symptom of
> > > hyperreligiousity.
> > > In 1997 Vilayanur Ramachandran and his colleagues from the University
of
> > > California at San Diego headed a research study. The team studied
> patients
> > > of temporal lobe epilepsy measuring galvanic skin response on the left
> > hands
> > > of the patients (11). This measurement allowed the research team to
> > monitor
> > > arousal (specific autonomic nervous system response) and indirectly
> > surmise
> > > the communication between the inferior temporal lobe and the amygdala,
> > both
> > > important in response related to fear and arousal (9). In addition to
> two
> > > control groups a religious control group and a non-religious control
> > group,
> > > each group was shown forty words, including violent words, sexual
words,
> > and
> > > simple words (like "wheel"), and finally, religious-related words. The
> > > results of the study showed a greater arousal in the temporal lobe
> > epilepsy
> > > sufferers to religious words in comparison to the non-religious, whom
> were
> > > aroused by sexual words, and religious control groups, whom were
aroused
> > by
> > > religious and sexual words (10).
> > >
> > > Ramachandran and his team concluded that although the patients were
not
> > > experiencing seizures or experiencing supernatural occurrences at the
> time
> > > of testing, they were highly sensitive to religious words. Thus, the
> > > experiences of temporal lobe seizures strengthened the patients
interest
> > in
> > > religion (11). Such a conclusion seems fairly reasonable considering
> that
> > > these patients also reported religious experiences during their
> seizures.
> > Is
> > > it possible that the increased arousal to religious words is not a
> direct
> > > result of their temporal lobe epilepsy, but rather a result of the
> > > supernatural experiences induced by their epilepsy? Possibly these
> > patients
> > > began to research and study religion more to finds ways to explain the
> > > experiences that they had during their seizures. Subsequent research
on
> > very
> > > religious, non-epileptic subjects supports this idea. In a different
> > > experiment, the of very religious, non-epileptics' temporal lobes
where
> > > noted to be more active (11). However, in epileptic patients,
> Ramachandran
> > > concludes that the seizure's damage to temporal lobe pathways makes
> these
> > > patients more sensitive to certain ideas that to others do not have
> great
> > > meaning; specifically, pathways that connect the part of the brain
that
> > > gives recognizes to sensory information and the part that gives
> emotional
> > > meaning to the sensory information (4). Ramachandran believes that
> because
> > > of these specific damage, everything that these patients experience
has
> > > great meaning (10).
> > >
> > > Some people, interested in proving God's inexistence, speculate that
> some
> > of
> > > the notable religious figures suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy.
For
> > > example, they claim that Paul, a notable figure in Christianity had a
> > > temporal lobe seizure as he was walking toward Damascus (1). In the
New
> > > Testament of the Bible, Paul claims to see God and hear Jesus Christ
> > > speaking to him. Other notable figures like Ellen Smith, of the
> > Seventh-day
> > > Adventist Church also claims to have had profound visions directly
from
> > God.
> > > Contrary to these researchers belief, there are other components of
> > temporal
> > > epilepsy beyond hyperreligiousity that would negate these ideas.
> > Associated
> > > with temporal lobe epilepsy is also a change in personality. The
person
> > may
> > > become irritable and obsessive-compulsive; they focus on extremely
> > abstract
> > > aspects of their daily life, and attach a great deal of importance to
> > daily
> > > situations. In addition they experience emotions with more intensity.
> With
> > > respect to these religious figures, the only one noted have any
possible
> > > experience with epilepsy is Ellen White, an influential member of the
> > > Seventh Day Adventist Church. She suffered from a head injury during
her
> > > childhood however the head injury was suffered near the nasal-area of
> her
> > > face (3). I found very little evidence to support the claims that her
> > among
> > > other religious figures suffered from TLE.
> > >
> > > From the studies completed on Temporal Epilepsy patients, it appears
> that
> > > hyperreligiousity may simply be a result of increased interest in the
> > > details and experiences of everyday life. However, the visions and
other
> > > supernatural experiences reported by these patients gives cause for
> > > researchers to examine the temporal area of the brain. This portion of
> the
> > > brain may be what researchers are calling the "God Spot," a part of
the
> > > brain where religion arises from (11). It is not clear why this would
be
> > an
> > > ideal place for the so-called "God Spot." It is possible that the
known
> > > functioning of the Temporal Lobe, recognizing sensory information and
> > > attributing meaning to sensory information is akin to the philosophies
> of
> > > religion. Maybe, the "God Spot" acquires its spot over time rather
than
> > > having its presence in the brain early on in a human's life. If this
> were
> > > true, the next step would be to examine the Temporal Epilepsy cases of
> > > younger children. Do they also experience religion as older patients
do?
> > >
> > > Furthermore, if possible researchers should examine the prior
religious
> > > experiences and lives of temporal lobe epilepsy patients. Did they
have
> > any
> > > interest in religion prior to their experiences with epilepsy? This
may
> > > provide insight intensity and contents of the persons reported
religious
> > > experiences. Hyperreligiousity is an interesting symptom of Temporal
> Lobe
> > > Epilepsy. The action of the temporal lobe after experiencing epileptic
> > > seizures supports the idea that religion might begin in the mind (10).
I
> > > hope that within the coming years more scientists will research this
> > aspect
> > > of temporal lobe epilepsy. Thus, giving us more insight into whether
the
> > > soul is within the brain.
> > >
> > > http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web2/Eguae.html
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------
> > >
> > > 1)Epilepsy: Sacred Disease by Paul Newman
> > > http://stormloader.com/users/abrax7/epilepsy.htm
> > >
> > > 2)Yours, Mine, and Ours: Whose God is it, anyway?
> > > http://slate.msn.com/goodword/98-10-13/goodword.asp
> > >
> > > 3)Ellen G. White, by Don Hawley, Part 8
> > > http://www.sabbath.com/white/egw8.htm
> > >
> > > 4)BrainPlace.Com, Temporal Lobe
> > > http://www.brainplace.com/bp/brainsystem/temporal.asp
> > >
> > > 5)"The God Spot"
> > > http://www.parascope.com/articles/slips/fs22_3.htm
> > >
> > > 6)Brainstorms, A book review by Robert Finn
> > > http://nasw.org/finn/brnstrm.html
> > >
> > > 7)Personal Experience
> > > http://www.objectivethought.com/atheism/personalexperience.html
> > >
> > > 8)WebMD: Temporal Lobe Seizure
> > > http://my.webmd.com/content/asset/adam_disease_psychomotor_seizure
> > >
> > > 9)Touched by the Word of God
> > > http://www.newscientist.com/ns/971108/nreligion.html
> > >
> > > 10)Beliefnet
> > > http://tinyurl.com/wpnu
> > >
> > > 11)Genesis of Eden
> > > http://dhushara.tripod.com/book/rebirth/comment/scirel.htm
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Nicked this from sci.Logic
> >
>
> Therefore logicians believe there are no brain structures and activities
> that correspond to experiencing inferences?
>
> > http://www.godpart.com/pages/premise2.html
> >
> >
>
>

Not sure what they believe. I took the URL from a post in sci.logic that was
covering the same issue you raised.