A recent study, conducted at the University of British Columbia suggests that analytical thinking can decrease religious belief. Here is the brief summary:

A new study finds that analytic thinking can decrease religious belief, even in devout believers. The study finds that thinking analytically increases disbelief among believers and skeptics alike, shedding important new light on the psychology of religious belief.

If true this is consistent with other findings that among professional philosophers and world-class scientists—those trained in analysis—religious belief is practically non-existent. It also provides evidence for the main thesis of my recent article “Religion’s Smart-People Problem.”

The study, published in the April 27 issue of Science, found that the negative effect on religious belief caused by thinking analytically applied to both believers and skeptics. This doesn’t surprise me, as the philosophical basis for most religious beliefs is weak at best.

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