The Natural Origin of the Supernatural
How the Theory of Mind shaped our relationships with Nature and each other
Though all the crannies of the world we filled
with elves and goblins, though we dared to build
gods and their houses out of dark and light,
And sow the seed of dragons, ’twas our right
(used or misused).— J.R.R. Tolkein, Mythopeia
Do you like Loki? Are you enamored of elves? Scared of Satan?
We careen into a techno-materialist future, clinging to avatars of our primitive past while busily inventing new ones. We are friends with Frodo and besotted with Batman.
Our collective catalog of supernatural beings is vast and still growing, probably because of basic brain abilities that began aeons ago.
Stories can show how it all came about. We start with mammals today, who stand-in for our pre-human ancestors.
Before hominids.
You’re a lion near a water hole. You’ve learned that any antelope who shows up will likely approach the water and put their head down to drink. If the wind blows from them to you, they will approach sooner. If you don’t stay still while they approach, they will run away.
