Are religious people really less smart, on average, than atheists? [Spirituality & Religion]
It’s a question with some urgency, the proportion of people with a religious belief is growing: by 2050, if current trends continue, people who say they are not religious will make up only 13 per cent of the global population. Based on the low-IQ-religiosity link, it could be argued that humanity is on course to become collectively less smart. Its said that atheists surpass religious individuals in terms of reasoning but not working-memory performance. The religiosity effect is robust across🤔
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SW-User
Your question sent me to an interesting article on the subject.
The writer actually goes full circle and turns the premise around in a thought provoking way. He points out that there is a certain rigidity in atheism that is not unlike the rigidity in religiosity.
In that sense, hardcore atheism and agnosticism are as symptomatic of rigidity and narrow-mindedness as extreme religiosity, and highlight an inability to understand alternative Weltanschauungen or opposite systems of values. In any event, associations between IQ and religiosity are at least in part determined by personality traits and values. And let's not forget that there are plenty of people who are both smart and religious - as well as many individuals who are agnostic and dim.
I think it makes sense that the closed-minded would be less intelligent than the open-minded, because they wouldn’t be as driven to dig for answers if they think they have them all already. I know it’s not quite what you’re asking here, but I thought the article and observations were interesting enough to post.
@SW-User But Atheists are open to being shown, that's the whole point. Who wouldn't want to know the answer for certain? Everyone should want to know the real answer
I think the author is making the point that atheists can be susceptible to closed-mindedness and digging their heels in just like diehard theists can. @Bushmanoz
