A Natural History of Natural Theology: The Cognitive Science of Theology and Philosophy of Religion

This monograph examines natural theology through the lens of cognitive science, offering a naturalistic account of how humans form beliefs about divine beings and engage in theological reasoning. De Cruz investigates whether evolved cognitive mechanisms that generate religious beliefs can also ground rational reflection about God's existence and attributes. The work bridges cognitive science of religion with philosophy of religion, addressing a significant gap in contemporary scholarship.

De Cruz argues that the same cognitive faculties underlying spontaneous religious beliefs also enable sophisticated theological reasoning. Drawing on empirical research in developmental psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience, she demonstrates how intuitions about design, causation, and agency arise from ordinary cognitive processes. These intuitions, she contends, form the basis for classical arguments in natural theology, including cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments for God's existence.

The work critically engages with both cognitive debunking arguments and defenses of natural theology. Against cognitive scientists who dismiss religious beliefs as mere byproducts of evolution, De Cruz shows that the natural origins of theological intuitions do not necessarily undermine their epistemic value. She examines how cognitive mechanisms like agency detection, teleological reasoning, and moral cognition contribute to both folk religious beliefs and formal theological arguments.

De Cruz employs an interdisciplinary methodology, integrating experimental findings with philosophical analysis. She discusses historical figures including Aquinas, Paley, and Hume alongside contemporary cognitive scientists like Pascal Boyer and Justin Barrett. The work addresses debates about the reliability of intuition, the relationship between natural and revealed theology, and the implications of cognitive diversity for religious epistemology.

The monograph's significance lies in its balanced treatment of a contentious issue. Rather than using cognitive science to attack or defend religious belief wholesale, De Cruz provides a nuanced analysis of how human cognition shapes theological reasoning. She demonstrates that understanding the cognitive basis of religious beliefs enriches rather than settles philosophical debates about God's existence. The work challenges both religious believers and skeptics to reconsider the relationship between our evolved minds and our deepest metaphysical convictions. By showing how natural theology emerges from ordinary cognition, De Cruz opens new avenues for dialogue between empirical research and philosophy of religion.