EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 1H 15M
EP #22 | Religion as Make-Believe | Neil Van Leeuwen
from Cognitations · host Jay Richardson and Tanay Katiyar
Religion is a puzzling phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a major historical motor, shaping civilizations and guiding billions of lives. On the other hand, the core of religion centers around beings and realms that we simply cannot see, touch, or measure. One might then wonder, how can religious beliefs be both more important to us than ordinary beliefs, and more removed from what we can know to be the case? In his recent book, Religion as Make-Believe, Neil Van Leeuwen offers a provocative answer: religious beliefs have this puzzling aspect because they are, in reality, a kind of imagining, not so different from that which guides child’s play. Media Recommendations1. Movie: ConclaveCredits:Interview: Tanay Katiyar and Jay RichardsonEditing: Tanay KatiyarCommunication: Tanay KatiyarMusic: Thelma Samuel and Robin BaradelArtwork: Ella BergruThis episode is sponsored by The European Behaviour and Evolution Association (EHBEA)
What this episode covers
Religion is a puzzling phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a major historical motor, shaping civilizations and guiding billions of lives. On the other hand, the core of religion centers around beings and realms that we simply cannot see, touch, or measure. One might then wonder, how can religious beliefs be both more important to us than ordinary beliefs, and more removed from what we can know to be the case? In his recent book, Religion as Make-Believe, Neil Van Leeuwen offers a provocative answer: religious beliefs have this puzzling aspect because they are, in reality, a kind of imagining, not so different from that which guides child’s play. Media Recommendations1. Movie: ConclaveCredits:Interview: Tanay Katiyar and Jay RichardsonEditing: Tanay KatiyarCommunication: Tanay KatiyarMusic: Thelma Samuel and Robin BaradelArtwork: Ella BergruThis episode is sponsored by The European Behaviour and Evolution Association (EHBEA)
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EP #22 | Religion as Make-Believe | Neil Van Leeuwen
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