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conducted by Lindon Eaves and
Nicholas Martin. Their work demonstrated that approximately 40% of the variation in self-transcendence was due to genes. By contrast, specific religious beliefs (such as belief in a particular deity) were found to have no genetic basis and are instead cultural units or
993:
Hamer responded that the existence of such a gene would not be incompatible with the existence of a personal God: "Religious believers can point to the existence of God genes as one more sign of the creator's ingenuity—a clever way to help humans acknowledge and embrace a divine presence." He
865:
In order to identify some of the specific genes involved in self-transcendence, Hamer analyzed DNA and personality score data from over 1,000 individuals and identified one particular locus, VMAT2, with a significant correlation. VMAT2 codes for a vesicular monoamine transporter that plays a key
873:
Hamer hypothesized that self-transcendence might provide an evolutionary advantage by providing human beings with an innate sense of optimism that gives people the will to keep on living and procreating, despite the inevitability of death, and promoting better health and recovery from diseases.
833:
to quantify spirituality using three sub-scales: "self-forgetfulness" (as in the tendency to become totally absorbed in some activity, such as reading); "transpersonal identification" (a feeling of connectedness to a larger universe); and "mysticism" (an openness to believe things that remain
918:
However, Hamer notes that the importance of the VMAT2 finding is not that it explains all spiritual or religious feelings, but rather that it points the way toward one neurobiological pathway that may be important. Currently, there are several VMAT2 inhibitors marketed as drugs including
902:
argues: "It's a pump. A teeny-tiny pump responsible for packaging a neurotransmitter for export during brain activity. Yes, it's important, and it may even be active and necessary during higher order processing, like religious thought. But one thing it isn't is a 'god gene.'"
910:
said that VMAT2 can be characterized as a gene that accounts for less than one percent of the variance of self-transcendence scores. These, Zimmer says, can signify anything from belonging to the Green Party to believing in
990:: "Religious belief is not just related to a person's constitution; it's related to society, tradition, character—everything's involved. Having a gene that could do all that seems pretty unlikely to me."
1295:
967:. He replied: "The idea of a God gene goes against all my personal theological convictions. You can't cut faith down to the lowest common denominator of genetic survival. It shows the poverty of
870:, dopamine and norepinephrine. These monoamine transmitters are in turn postulated to play an important role in regulating the brain activities associated with mystic beliefs.
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levels; and (5) spirituality provides an evolutionary advantage by providing individuals with an innate sense of optimism.
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repeatedly notes in his book that, "This book is about whether God genes exist, not about whether there is a God."
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692:, neurobiological and psychological studies. The major arguments of the hypothesis are: (1) spirituality can be
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915:. Zimmer also points out that the God Gene theory is based on only one unpublished, unreplicated study.
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1040:"Experimenting with Spirituality: Analyzing The God Gene in a Nonmajors Laboratory Course"
8:
1178:, Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2012,
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838:). Cloninger suggests that taken together, these measurements are a reasonable way to
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by psychometric measurements; (2) the underlying tendency to spirituality is partially
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According to the God Gene hypothesis, spirituality has a genetic component, of which (
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931:. The question of the God Gene could be answered by experimental studies.
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The research uses the self-transcendence scale developed by psychologist
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LiverTox: Clinical and
Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury
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1144:"Faith-Boosting Genes: A search for the genetic basis of spirituality"
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Hypothesis proposing that human spirituality is influenced by heredity
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into vesicles. Developmental biologist and science blogger
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1225:"Geneticist claims to have found 'God gene' in humans"
1172:"Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2) Inhibitors"
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role in regulating the levels of the brain chemicals
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The God gene hypothesis is based on a combination of
1259:
The God Gene: How Faith Is
Hardwired Into Our Genes
1243:
The God Gene: How Faith Is
Hardwired Into Our Genes
1097:
The God Gene: How Faith Is
Hardwired Into Our Genes
957:, was asked for a comment on Hamer's theory by the
842:(make measurable) an individual's propensity to be
742:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
683:
The God Gene: How Faith is
Hardwired into our Genes
826:and feelings of connection to a larger universe.
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849:The self-transcendence measure was shown to be
658:is influenced by heredity and that a specific
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882:In the brain, VMAT2 proteins are located on
674:experiences. The idea has been proposed by
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802:Learn how and when to remove this message
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1094:
1038:Silveira, Linda A. (March 20, 2008).
934:
740:adding citations to reliable sources
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666:(VMAT2), predisposes humans towards
1122:"No god, and no 'god gene', either"
13:
1158:10.1038/scientificamerican1004-110
596:Portrayals of God in popular media
14:
1332:
1281:
664:vesicular monoamine transporter 2
1009:Evolutionary origin of religions
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1120:Myers, PZ (February 13, 2005).
727:needs additional citations for
654:hypothesis proposes that human
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1:
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1004:Cognitive science of religion
1204:"The 'God Gene' Sales Stunt"
1124:. Pharyngula. Archived from
1044:CBE: Life Sciences Education
7:
997:
888:monoamine neurotransmitters
822:experiences, including the
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10:
1337:
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961:national daily newspaper,
980:Mansfield College, Oxford
681:in the 2004 book called
1245:. Anchor Books. Page 16
906:Popular science writer
259:In particular religions
1056:10.1187/cbe.07-05-0029
1321:Behavioural genetics
1316:Religion and science
1296:Carl Zimmer's review
1241:Hamer, Dean (2005).
1229:The Washington Times
1095:Hamer, Dean (2005).
974:Walter Houston, the
736:improve this article
146:Specific conceptions
1210:on August 13, 2007.
1149:Scientific American
1128:on October 3, 2009.
964:The Daily Telegraph
955:Liverpool Cathedral
886:. VMAT2 transports
878:Scientific response
609:Religion portal
24:Part of a series on
1019:Religious instinct
982:, and a fellow in
935:Religious response
834:unproven, such as
690:behavioral genetic
940:John Polkinghorne
884:synaptic vesicles
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544:Euthyphro dilemma
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1142:(October 2004).
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1208:the original
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1187:, retrieved
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1140:Zimmer, Carl
1134:
1126:the original
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855:twin studies
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746:
734:Please help
729:verification
726:
687:
682:
656:spirituality
651:
649:
600:
553:
434:Omnipresence
315:Indo-Iranian
306:Samaritanism
291:Baháʼí Faith
281:Christianity
247:Unitarianism
202:Summum bonum
18:
986:, told the
971:thinking."
929:valbenazine
908:Carl Zimmer
549:God complex
506:Metaphysics
501:Hermeticism
481:Esotericism
464:Experiences
439:Omniscience
429:Omnipotence
399:Eternalness
134:Transtheism
119:Panentheism
79:Ignosticism
44:Agnosticism
1305:Categories
1263:Dean Hamer
1025:References
951:Theologian
792:March 2014
762:newspapers
751:"God gene"
694:quantified
679:Dean Hamer
676:geneticist
584:philosophy
521:Revelation
393:Attributes
129:Polytheism
84:Monotheism
69:Henotheism
1267:Doubleday
1064:1931-7913
988:Telegraph
890:from the
868:serotonin
851:heritable
844:spiritual
702:monoamine
698:heritable
668:spiritual
662:, called
511:Mysticism
467:Practices
404:Existence
301:Mandaeism
296:Mormonism
267:Abrahamic
212:Sustainer
124:Pantheism
99:Monolatry
49:Apatheism
1184:31643515
1082:18316816
998:See also
984:theology
976:chaplain
900:PZ Myers
840:quantify
708:Proposal
652:God gene
579:Religion
573:theodicy
564:Ontology
559:Theology
554:God gene
329:Buddhism
324:Hinduism
242:Personal
232:Ditheism
217:The Lord
162:Demiurge
114:Pandeism
1253:Sources
1073:2262126
959:British
896:neurons
892:cytosol
776:scholar
571: (
526:Worship
491:Fideism
416: (
372:Shangdi
358:Chinese
339:Sikhism
334:Jainism
276:Judaism
222:Trinity
157:Creator
152:Brahman
94:Dualism
74:Ietsism
54:Atheism
1291:report
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1080:
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927:, and
820:mystic
778:
771:
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516:Prayer
496:Gnosis
476:Belief
444:Aseity
409:Gender
237:Monism
227:Tawhid
197:Mother
172:Father
109:Omnism
89:Monism
30:Theism
948:Canon
860:memes
816:VMAT2
783:JSTOR
769:books
589:texts
486:Faith
418:"God"
414:Names
286:Islam
192:Monad
64:Deism
1271:ISBN
1191:2020
1180:PMID
1101:ISBN
1078:PMID
1060:ISSN
946:and
755:news
660:gene
650:The
367:Tian
167:Deus
1261:by
1154:doi
1068:PMC
1052:doi
978:of
953:at
913:ESP
836:ESP
738:by
670:or
182:God
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