The Evolutionary Role of Religion: A Review of Wilson’s Ideas

It seems that philosophical debates around the problem of levels of natural selection which lead to propose group and multi level selection theories cause more efforts of evolutionary theory application in other knowledge domains such as anthropology. In this way Wilson’s efforts for explaining an adaptation role of religion in light of organismic theory of society is one of the recent and most debatable. On basis of organismic concept of religious groups and evolutionary group selection theory, he tries to explain religiosity trait as an adaptation. Although he tries to explain by giving some evidences from history of religion and religious groups’ behavior but not only there are some form and content critiques to application of evolutionary theory in other knowledge domains but also some serious rival theories offered.