Dalek Supreme
Well-Known Member
Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Dopamine the not so holy trinity.
These neurochemicals are responsible for people's goals, Gods, religion, and spirituality. It's the motivation for one person's career, and another person's drug, or gambling addiction.
Irrational beliefs are the ancient part of the brain (motivators) overriding the role of the thinking rational modern part of the brain.
In short. The same nuerochemicals that are released through food, sex, and, or drugs can be released by thought. What feels good creates, and strengthens neural pathways for you to repeat the action. Fruit Flies for example have the same motivational mechanisms we do, but we have a thinking frontal lobe.
Dopamine aids in creativity, and can make people see connections that are not there. From superstitious behaviour, to all the interpretations of what people perceive as a higher power. It's just the part of the brain evolved to motivate the organism to gather resources, and propagate the species by getting your attention to act on it.
Sleep deprivation, and stress can release Dopamine causing hallucinations, and the illusion of oneness with the universe.
To better illustrate the reward pathway with it's euphoric effects just imagine winning the lottery. Most people would feel stress lifted off their shoulder, and have a sense of nirvana. Now imagine someone being fed religious/spiritual dogma, and felt this effect. Then they are told that this is proof of a paranormal event.
Here's the science: Google "Dopamine addiction", "Dopamine Schizophrenia", "Dopamine Parkinson's Disease", "Dopamine Creativity", and "Oxytocin Serotonin Dopamine".
