Earlier this month, a curious piece by Ohio State University psychologist and neuroscientist Gary Wenk appeared in Psychology Today. It purports to explain how “the brain” came to “invent the idea of gods” Image Credit: 1STunningART – Adobe Stock Psychology Today has been a mixed bag over the years. I have certainly appreciated Marilyn Mendoza’s sound work on death, dying, and near-death experiences there. That is a topic always at risk of descending into pop science nonsense. Maybe there is a rule that every so often the descent must be made. Dr. Wenk’s article so much fits the pattern of such articles that its best use is to illustrate their general characteristics. The pattern begins right up front: Key points ● Spirituality may be a specific processing capability that developed following a change in the brain’s wiring. ● This may have happened about 40,000 years ago, when Homo sapiens demonstrated changes in burial practice. ● Changes in specific brain regions may have evolved to encourage altruistic behaviors that benefit others. “When and How Did the …