And I further venture that any that have it also have religious experiences.
Indeed. In fact, the very existence of the God Module implies an evolutionary advantage - or else it would have been selected out or gone vestigial long ago. A species able to experience religion must have some advantage over one who cannot - otherwise our God Modules wouldn't be so powerful when activated, if they were even still around. And the fact that it is still around means that we use it. If it's around in other animals then it must be a fact that they use it too or else it'd have gone away in them as well.
There are those who will say that the capability of religion afforded us by this section of the brain probably gave us more motivation to band together as tribes and other types of civil groups. Perhaps it gave an edge in fighting over those who didn't have it as acutely developed (by giving a greater motivation to the fighter). You, Dan, I would guess would explain the evolution of the God Module either in this way or in a very similar one.
It is also possible that God really does exist and the ability to commune with him and recognize his presence allows us to better reap the gifts He gives us, and so he set things up from the beginning in such a way that we would eventually evolve this portion of the brain and awaken to His presence.
I happen to believe both of the above explanations are true. I can certainly understand why an atheist would take the first and not the second. What I can't understand is why a religious person would accept the second and not the first.
But did God/evolution/both also grant this to other primates? To other vertebrates? I would sincerely love to know. If so, what evolutionary advantages has it created for them? Do dolphins click and screech to watery gods? Does whalesong have a religious connotation? If so, wouldn't that be truly amazing and wonderful? It would indicate a deep commonality between us and the other fauna of the earth. I seriously doubt that an earthworm can recognize the presence of god. But what if we find that dolphins have an even more developed God Module than us? What would that mean? These are questions that fill me with wonder and curiosity. That they haven't been looked into yet just seems tragic to me.
w
