Supernatural: Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World

by Clay Routledge

Humans are existential animals. We are all fully aware of our fragility, transience, and potential cosmic insignificance. Our ability to ponder the big questions about death and meaning and the anxiety that these questions can provoke have motivated us to be a species not only concerned about survival, but also about our significance.

The quest for transcendent meaning is one reason why humans embrace the supernatural. Children naturally see the world as magical, yet when humans reach full cognitive development they are still drawn to supernatural beliefs and ideas that defy the laws of physics. Even those who consider themselves secular or atheists are seduced by supernatural belief systems. Clay Routledge, an experimental psychologist, asserts that belief or trust in forces beyond our understanding is rooted in our fear of death and need for meaning. In Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World , he reveals just how universal supernatural thinking is, and how this kind of thinking is adaptive and even healthy.

Routledge takes readers through a wide range of fascinating research from psychology that paints a picture of humans as innate supernatural thinkers. Exploring research from the emerging field of experimental existential psychology, he makes the case that all humans have the same underlying existential needs, with similar coping strategies across times, cultures, and degrees of religiousness. Surprisingly, cultural institutions such as sports, environmentalism, secular humanism, and science also showcase supernatural attributes and qualities. Indeed, studies show that supernatural thinking assuages stress and anxiety and improves mood and psychological well-being. But there is a potential dark side to this line of it can lead to personal and social problems, and some individuals can take it a step too far. However, Routledge argues that this dark side of supernatural thinking is the exception, not the rule. Further, supernatural thinking is ever-present, and should unite us
instead of dividing us.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Paranormal, Occult

240 pages, Hardcover

Published July 2, 2018

Reviews

[TG Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

這是一本由心理學者所撰寫的書。它的主旨，正如書名所明示的，就是要探討「為什麼人總是會相信超自然」，無論是在哪一個社會文明皆如此。作者所提出的論理，是人類具有「死亡自覺」與「尋找意義」的特性。因此，宗教信仰是最能夠扮演這種存在的思維；如果不是狹義的宗教，人類還是會找到其它的「替代」，比如「外星人」、「靈魂」等等，同樣能給予人們相同的慰藉。

關於這方面的主題，我過去比較常閱讀的，方法通常都是屬於「演化心理學」；因此對於本書所採取的傳統心理學實驗論文發表，倒是帶給我不少新的知識。作者本人、以及他所引述的「實驗」，大多都是「控制下的問卷調查與關連統計」︰研究者會先設定某個議題，找來一大群人來作各種分群分類的問卷調查，再根據結果來找尋當中的關連性。

比如說，研究者會將受試者分成兩群︰第一群受試者被要求寫下關於「人終將一死」這個主題的想法，第二群受試者則是控制組、不作這方面的要求。然後，他們都要閱讀兩篇文章，一篇是「人類比其它動物更有智慧、更加優秀」，另一篇則是「人類和其它動物非常相似」，受試者在讀完這兩篇文章再給予高低評價。

最後的結果，控制組（未讀過人終將一死）對那兩篇文章的高低評價沒有明顯的差別，但第一組（有思索過人終將一死這種大問題的）則明顯偏好「人類比其他動物更特別」甚於「人和其他動物相似」。由此推論，我們只要考慮到自身終會死亡這件沈重的事實，便會很容易地尋求「自己的生命意義」乃至於「自己必須是特別的存在」這種心態。

雖然我不見得完全相信這種問卷統計的所有解釋，因為一個人的思想與其表達出來的，即使排除掉撒謊的因素，也不一定能如此輕易地連結——有時連自己都不知道自己在想什麼、不知道自己要的是什麼，自然地，研究者想要「挖」出對方真正的意見，可能都有著無法對應或完全誤解的麻煩存在。但無論如何，我覺得若能配合「演化心理學」與生物學的新知識累積，對這種生命的「大哉問」，應該可以愈來愈接近真相吧。

本書十分易讀，譯文通暢，探討主題也都很有意思。是值得一讀的好書。

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing about the supernatural is that there’s no way to test it. We don’t even know what it is. Indeed, the word is only defined against a scientific background. The genius of Clay Routledge’s Supernatural is that it doesn’t disparage it. Looking at it from a scientific perspective, this book considers human belief in the supernatural and how it is a coping strategy for dealing with our awareness of our own mortality. This is a well-written book, neutral about the existence of the supernatural, but asking important questions about it.

As I warn in my blog post (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), you need to be comfortable reading about death to take this on. For those of us who consciously seek meaning in our lives, however, this is essential. Routledge has a healthy perspective on the question and he advocates for trying to understand and accept those who view matters differently. The science, after all, shows the wisdom of doing so.

Although Routledge refers to a number of studies and surveys, the book is quite readerly. It’s not littered with charts and graphs like many sociology of religion books are. This is more properly the psychology of religion. It draws together many studies asking various questions around the supernatural. It makes a compelling case, and it asks us, for the sake of whatever we believe, to try to get along with one another.

[Edric Unsane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at how religion or lack thereof springs forth from the fear of our mortality and actively affects our lives and the world around us. This was a highly informative and well written book and I would definitely recommend it.

[Irene · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book felt like a set of bullet points with shallow explanations, shaky psychological experimentation (he greatly oversimplified human decision-making processes), and therefore resulted in unconvincing conclusions.

Routledge tends to focus on only one dimension--the psychological aspect of religion. But as a result, he tends to make huge jumps in conclusions that do not align with observations made in other relevant fields, e.g., cognitive science and social psychology. (There are so many issues with the experiments and conclusions drawn, this would be an extremely long review)

In some instances, the author took pages to explain what was self-evident and thus barely added anything to his initial assertion.

In other instances, he used such imprecise and vague language to convey his conclusions and findings, he left it open to the interpretation of the reader, which gives off an impression of soundness. But when stopping and giving it further thought and inquiry, his statements are not supported by basic observations in human behavior, and much less in other related fields of technical and scientific study.

He also had a tendency to go off on personal anecdotal tangents, and did not tie them to the main point he was trying to make.

I usually read through books and am satisfied if I get one or two golden nuggets of information, even if 98% of the book wasn't useful. However, there wasn't a single piece of worthwhile information here. Would not recommend in the slightest.

[Azrael V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Routledge creates a very compelling argument for the supernatural from both ends of the continuum--religious groups and non religious-- using atheism and Christianity as the primary two. A use of several studies revolving around death, meaning and the supernatural, including his own, are used to show that there is not much "human" difference between us. In the end, as with everything, Routledge shows the upsides and downsides to the supernatural and non supernatural, accurately claiming that both are influenced and contain the human element.

[Elisefur · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's alright :/

[Fahad Munir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Potentially a good book to read before you DIE!