oxford researchers to spend nearly 2 million pounds to ask why mankind believes in god - msnbc wire services - msnbc.com
updated 11:12 a.m. Et feb. 19, 2008
london - university of oxford researchers will spend nearly 2 million pounds (us$3.9 million; euro2.65 million) pounds in a three-year program to determine why mankind embraces god. The grant to the ian ramsey center for science and religion will bring anthropologists, theologians, philosophers and other academics together to study whether belief in a divine being is a basic part of mankind's makeup. "there are a lot of issues," said roger trigg, the acting director of the center. "what is it that is innate in human nature to believe in god, whether it is gods or something superhuman or supernatural?" he said anthropological and philosophical research suggests that faith in god is a universal human impulse found in most cultures around the world even though it has been waning in britain and western europe. "one implication that comes from this is that religion is the default position and atheism is perhaps more in need of explanation," he said. The study is funded by the john templeton foundation, a u.s.-based philanthropic organization that funds wide-ranging research into questions that deal with the laws of nature and issues of spirituality.
Oxford researchers to spend 2 million pounds to ask why mankind believes in God -
02-23-2008, 10:21 AM
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