Teehan, John

John Teehan is an American philosopher and scholar of religion who has made significant contributions to understanding religious ethics and violence through evolutionary and cognitive lenses. He serves as Associate Professor of Religion at Hofstra University. Teehan's work applies insights from evolutionary psychology and cognitive science to examine the origins and nature of religious morality and religiously motivated violence. His influential book "In the Name of God: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Ethics and Violence" (2010) argues that both religious ethics and religious violence emerge from the same evolved psychological mechanisms that promote in-group cooperation and out-group competition. By synthesizing evolutionary theory with religious studies, Teehan offers naturalistic explanations for religious phenomena while maintaining scholarly neutrality regarding theological claims. His interdisciplinary approach has helped bridge scientific and humanistic approaches to understanding religion's role in human morality and conflict.