My latest project has brought up many questions amongst those closest to me. During my study of Paleolithic art, and the psychology around the production of God-like figurines, I've began to question the purpose of art, the imagination and the spiritual.
For me, these objects act as workings of the mind, not sheer superstition and may suggest that God, or at least projections of God, has always been necessary as part of our psychological makeup. For me, it has brought up questions such as whether art is the foundation of religious thought? And with religion fading away in the face of rationalism and secular society, where does this leave art?
As a previous 'New Atheist' I settled on the thinking of evolutionary biologists such as Richard Dawkins who in the past have dispelled religion as a 'mind virus'.
There's a fantastic discussion between evolutionary theorist Brett Weinstein and Richard Dawkins where they debate the nature of religion and the human mind amongst evolutionary theory. Watch below...
Weinstein's fellow 'Intellectual Dark Web' compatriot Jordan Peterson has also led a Biblical series online, the premise of which surrounds religions place is secular society. He has suggested the removal of religious thought from society will ultimately lead to nihilism and political ideology swinging back and forth.
My latest project has many questions to answer, but I'm hoping to get a little closer to the following:
What do Gods look like in today's society?
What is going to be the long term result of nihilism in contemporary society and the political landscape?
With a move towards atheism and secularism is the imagination, the spiritual and art making going to become less and less relevant?
Thanks for reading,
P