151. Math Religion Trouble

Comment #116884 by AtheistAspy on January 27, 2008 at 5:37 pm

Who said that there is a curious effectiveness in mathematics?

Any thoughts as to why mathematical reasoning corresponds so well to the physical world?

The physicist Max Tegmark offers a possible explanation here:
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/24386

152. Loneliness Breeds Belief in Supernatural

Comment #116575 by AtheistAspy on January 26, 2008 at 6:25 pm

I've been an atheist since around the age of 8 despite (or because of) my extreme introversion. This is slightly off topic, but I always wondered whether my Asperger's had something to do with the fact of my atheism. I've come up with some possible explanations:

1)As the article points out, feelings of loneliness are associated with religious belief, and unlike other people, I don't feel lonely so easy.
2) Unlike religious people, I could never get very emotional during religious worship. Not to sound insensitive, but I always found it strange that anyone could start crying during church. I mean, what are they even crying about? Perhaps my lack of empathy prevented me from having such feelings that could sway my views. My family (who are Mormon) sometimes draw a relationship between my Asperger's, atheism, and general lack of emotion.
3)A theory of mind, which could explain the tendency to anthropomorphize, has been suggested as an evolutionary explanation of religious belief, theism in particular. Those on the autism spectrum lack a theory of mind.

Sorry if this is a bit long. I don't like to leave out details.