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Superstitions are just reflexive behaviors that are not weeded out because usually nothing decisively bad happens by following them. When thinking about animal behavior, it's necessary to throw away the soul-like concept of a unified mental core from which emanates all behavior. We don't work that way, we experience that we don't every day, and we need to look beyond the software in our heads that tells us we are a unity when we're not. We each function like committees where the members that are most persistent and have the loudest voices have their way - and sometimes the loudmouth is the guy who has a preoccupation with lucky amulets or about what's going to happen after you die.
Permalink Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:17:28 UTC | #637537