Скачать или смотреть Is Religion a Virus or an Immune System? | Meaning, Survival, and Belief

This audio podcast explores a provocative metaphor often used in debates about belief: is religion a virus that infects the mind, or an immune system that protects it? Rather than choosing a side, the episode examines what each analogy reveals—and what it obscures.

The discussion considers religion as a cultural adaptation, a psychological coping mechanism, and a system for transmitting values across generations. At the same time, it questions whether these functions justify belief, or merely explain its persistence. Can something be beneficial without being true? And does survival value imply epistemic reliability?

Balanced, analytical, and reflective, this episode invites listeners to think beyond slogans and ask what religion does, not just whether it should be believed.

🎧 Best experienced as a focused, uninterrupted listening session.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: Virus or Immune System?
02:10 – Why Religion Is Compared to a Virus
04:35 – Religion as a Protective Mechanism
06:55 – Survival Value Versus Truth
09:20 – Psychological and Social Functions
11:40 – When Metaphors Mislead
13:35 – Final Reflections on Belief and Function