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The Ritual Origins of Humanity

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Interdisziplinäre Anthropologie

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Abstract

This paper argues that ritual played a central role in making us human. The argument is based on four premises: (1) Humanity is defined by cooperative communities, (2) cooperative communities are defined by shared values, (3) shared values are defined by ritual, and (4) religious ritual elevates shared values to sacred status. Ritual solved a communication problem: that of effectively displaying, transmitting, and honestly committing to group values. Over the course of our evolutionary history, those communities with sacred shared values out-competed others, thus making religion a human universal.

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  1. Southeastern Louisiana University, Department of Psychology, Box 10831, LA, 70402, Hammond, USA

    Professor Matt J. Rossano Ph.D.

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  1. Fachbereich A – Philosophisches Seminar, Bergische Universität Wuppertal Fachbereich A – Philosophisches Sem, Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Gerald Hartung

  2. MĂĽnster, Germany

    Matthias Herrgen

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Rossano, M. (2016). The Ritual Origins of Humanity. In: Hartung, G., Herrgen, M. (eds) Interdisziplinäre Anthropologie. Interdisziplinäre Anthropologie. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-10978-3_1

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