interesting article i found that has stuff about consciousness.

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5000553565&er=deny

Creation of the Sacred Quotes

Religion depends on the formative impact of cultural learning. The prospect of discovering religious genes is dim.(Burkert 17)
Parallel to language,religion too, as an effective means of most serious communication, can be hypothesized to have arisen at a certain in prehistory as a competitive act. Religion may well be older than the kind of religion we know(19)
Religious ideas and practices are accused of fulfilling human wishes in a fantasic, unrealistic and possibly detrimental way just as drugs do when they provide the illusion of happiness while and overriding the normal cerebal fuctions(13)
All higher animals are programmed to learn from their elders. Religions used to stress the importance of parents while presenting god or gods as superfather or mother.(30)

Scientific American(Genetics; support and disapproval)

First, its is important to remember that new structures (refering to genes) do not arise for anything. (68)

Unfortunately, exactly what it was that exapted the brain for modern cognitive purposes remains obscure. This is largely because while we know a lot about which brain componants are active during the performance of particular, we have no idea at all how the brain converts a mass of electrical and chemical signals into what we are individually familar with as consciousness and thought patterns(69)

Links

I found this stuff on the English blog
Enjoy!
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/ramachandran06/ramachandran06_index.html
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/ramachandran/ramachandran_p1.html

Food of the Gods

"Our proposed story of human emergence into the light of self-reflection is a you-are-what-you-eat story" 16

"Each encounter with a new food, drug, or flavoring was fraught with risk and unpredictable consequences." 16

"My contention is that mutation-causing, psychoactive chemical combounds in the early human diet directly influenced the rapid reorganization of the brain's information-processing capacities" 24

"The actions of hallucinogens present in many common plants enhanced our information processing activity, or evniromental sensivity, and thus contributed to a sudden expansion of human brain size" 24

religion link

This is what I found on the Eco-Lit blog
http://www.accampbell.uklinux.net/essays/skeptic/narrative.html

genetic theory

Erin has Genetic Theory under raps


genetics& religion-
"Genetic evolution inevitably ensued. Natural selection, favoring some of the gene ensambles over others, molded the epigenetic rules, which are the inherited regularities of mental development that compose human nature."(conscilience page 237)
~erin

Theory

Brandon brought up this theory that a particular organic item gave hallucinations to early man which resulted in the creation of some sort of religion.

Theories

Theory 1
Religion is not exclusive to humans, but rather is self-awareness that there is more than just what is necessary for life. This led to humans questioning and afterlife. Chimpanzees who ritualistically hit the ground that demonstrates hey are aware of the nature around them and desire to interrupt and control it.
Theory 2
Something genetic leads to religion. An actual element of the human psyche, a unique result of culture is the different specific branches are a result of culture. “Religion’s hybrid character – between biology and culture…” (Creation of the sacred – p. 23) Genetics provides the need, culture evolves the religion and religion evolves the culture. “Religion constitutes the greatest challenge to human sociobiology no doubt religion has appeared as a new phenomenon in the course of evolution”(Consilience p. 17) “The basic hypothesis of sociobiology is the co evolution of genes and cultures, with constant feedback between the two.”(Burkman p. 10)
Theory 3
All religion has one common ancestor, a single uniform religion. This was a response to nature and the uncertainty of early human existence. Explain the unexplainable it was a form of science. Definition of science – “knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws”
Theory 4
In reaction to chaos and disorder of the species, man developed religion as a means to keep law and order. It was a system of reward and punishment upon the guilt of the human conscience.
Tom L. and Erin Ferguson