Why do we have the need to believe in something or someone? What happens in our brain when we put our faith into practice? Why do religions continue to enjoy excellent health in the world, despite the fact that the progress of science shows us in more and more detail an empty universe? Boris Cyrulnik carries out an exciting analysis of the deep reasons why many human beings need to continue believing. Among them, he highlights the adaptive advantages of religion, both in its individual and group expressions. In any religion, God is a protective figure and an extension of parental love. Hence, in the face of life's adversities, religious sentiment proves to be an important factor of resilience, even equating to the effects of a good attachment during childhood. But Cyrulnik also warns us: the religious fact can be diverted towards a fundamentalist interpretation. In such a case, the meaning that faith brings to the subject has dangerous social costs, since such feelings go hand in hand with the refusal to accept those who have a different culture and spirituality, to the point of dehumanizing them as enemies. A pleasant and informative work where Cyrulnik explains with simple arguments and without any embarrassment his suggestive theory of the mind and the close relationship between religion and culture.
