I’ve just read something in New Scientist, and no matter how I read it, it doesn’t make sense to me.
That a complex mind is required for religion may explain why faith is unique to humans.
Leaving aside the torturous sentence construction, this leaves a burning question. How does the writer (Andy Coghlan) know that faith is unique to humans? Has he ever asked a spiny anteater (well known for their religous leanings)?
It’s true and completely senseless at the same time. A little bit like saying:
That a complex mind is required for numbers may explain why SUDOKU is unique to humans.
That certainly is equally daft. However both statements are only true if SETI is a total waste of time and money – if there is intelligent alien life, it wouldn’t surprise me if it had religion or Sudoku. (Well, maybe the Sudoku would surprise me a bit if it were intelligent life.)