TY - BOOK AU - Broom,Donald M. TI - The evolution of morality and religion SN - 9780511610226 (ebook) AV - BJ1311 .B72 2003 U1 - 171/.7 22 PY - 2003/// CY - Cambridge PB - Cambridge University Press KW - Ethics, Evolutionary KW - Sociobiology KW - Religious aspects N1 - Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015) N2 - Accepted codes of conduct and established religions are features of human societies throughout the world. Why should this be? In this 2003 book, biologist Donald Broom argues that these aspects of human culture have evolved as a consequence of natural selection; that morally acceptable behaviour benefits the humans and other animals and that a principal function of religion is to underpin and encourage such behaviour. The author provides biological insights drawn especially from work on animal behaviour and presents ideas and information from the fields of philosophy and theology to produce a thought-provoking, interdisciplinary treatment. Scientists who read this book will gain an appreciation of the wider literature on morality and religion, and non-scientists will benefit from the author's extensive knowledge of the biological mechanisms underlying the behaviour of humans and other social animals UR - https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511610226 ER -