Riddle me this: A bat and ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat
costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? If you answered
$0.10, chances are you have strong religious convictions. On the other hand, if
you came up with the correct answer of $0.05, you’re more analytical and probably
more skeptical about religion too.
How do I know this? Because according to a study by
neuroscientist and philosopher Joshua Greene at Harvard University (published
last September in the Journal of Experimental Psychology) folks who answered
questions like this one instinctively, were more likely to report stronger religious beliefs (and yes, researchers controlled for IQ, education,
political leanings, and other factors). In a nutshell, psychologists divide
thinking into two broad categories: intuitive thinking, which is fast and
effortless (instantly knowing someone is sad from the look on his/her face, for
example); and analytic thinking, which is slower and more deliberate (used for
solving math problems and other tricky tasks).
Will Gervais, a graduate student at the University of British
Columbia, reinforced this theory stating, "There's been an emerging
consensus among researchers …that a lot of religious beliefs are grounded in
intuitive processes." Gervais has conducted a bunch of experiments, all
aimed at determining whether or not there’s a correlation between religious
beliefs and one’s system of thought. Guess what? There is. And indeed, in every
experiment, those who had to work harder to comprehend the question or deliver
their answer also rated their religious beliefs lower. Coincidence? I think
not.
The point is; it's tough to distinguish between what a person says
they believe and what they actually do believe. But here’s what we know: When
you're thinking more critically you reject statements that you might otherwise
endorse. Ipso facto, many religious beliefs would be
undermined if people were thinking more critically.
These findings probably won't change anyone's mind about whether
God exists or whether religious belief is rational. In fact, if you're a
religious person, you’ll likely view this evidence as God providing you with a
system of belief that can only be truly appreciated at an intuitive level.
Just remember, there is only one correct answer to the “bat and ball”
riddle above, and only one route to arrive at that answer. Cognitive.
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