Quote by Christopher Hitchens

Past and present religious atrocities have occured not because we are evil, but because it is a fact of nature that the human species is, biologically, only partly rational. Evolution has meant that our prefrontal lobes are too small, our adrenal glands are too big, and our reproductive organs apparently designed by committee; a recipe which, alone or in combination, is very certain to lead to some unhappiness and disorder.

Past and present religious atrocities have occured not becau

Summary

This quote suggests that past and present religious atrocities are not solely due to humanity's inherent evilness, but rather a result of the biological limitations of our species. The quote argues that our brains are not fully rational, with small prefrontal lobes, augmented by overly large adrenal glands and seemingly flawed reproductive organs. This combination inevitably leads to unhappiness and disorder, providing an explanation for the unfortunate occurrence of religious atrocities in history.

Topics

Atheism Evolution

By Christopher Hitchens

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