How Religion Evolved

In this episode, we explore the topic of religion with Professor Robin Dunbar, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. He joins host Aaqil Ahmed, former Head of Religion and Ethics at the BBC, to discuss the evolutionary purpose of spiritual thought, the endurance of religion in an increasingly secular world, and the human impulse to believe.

About the Author

Robin Dunbar

Professor Robin Dunbar

Robin Dunbar is Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Anthropological Institute, and an elected Foreign Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. He has been awarded the Osman Hill Medal and the Huxley Medal. His popular science books include The Human Story, How Many Friends Does One Person Need? and Human Evolution and have been translated into a dozen languages.