Spiritual dogma, belief, and Evolution
Why Evolution is not a threat to spirituality
There is a prevailing trend in spiritual circles known as “conspirituality”. At the root of this trend are metaphysical beliefs in spirituality, distrust towards authorities, and a lack of acceptance/understanding towards scientific principles. Often, these beliefs align with new age thinking such as a denial of evolution and a belief in creationism. Such perspectives are not only fuelled by deep paranoia, but also lack a detailed understanding (or indeed any understanding) of scientific principles and the role of science in the world.
While distrust towards authorities is understandable given the myriad scandals, some dating as far back as the Watergate scandal, and in more recent times through sources such as Wikileaks, Edward Snowden, and so forth, why this distrust is similarly directed towards science, a field of ingenuity, inquiry, and endeavour, is perplexing.
Granted, there can be many outlandish claims in science, including in the form of material reductionism and materialist arguments for consciousness (or philosopher Daniel Dennett’s more controversial claim that consciousness is an “illusion”). These dogmatic forms of materialism that dismiss first-person experience make bold claims that warrant skepticism, as they go beyond current evidence. Whilst the arguments for material reductionism may be more philosophically nuanced than, say, a belief in “flat earth” (materialist reductionists, please forgive me for making this analogy), some humility is warranted both for flat earthers and materialist reductionists alike.
Science, like religion, has its forms of dogma, and it would be wrong not to admit that, but the dogma found in science is of a different kind to religious or philosophical dogma, such as beliefs in creationism or flat earth. Commitment to methodological naturalism, peer review, and reliance on experimental evidence act as forms of scientific dogma, for better or worse. But the key difference is that scientific theories are always open to questioning, revision, and potential falsification with new evidence. Spiritual and “philosophical” beliefs, such as that of creationism, often resist such modification. This adaptability in the light of new evidence is the strength of science: not its weakness. It is worth adding that whilst i am not a scientist by trade, i have published articles in online scientific literature before and previously worked for many years as an editor at a scientific journal. My “credentials” on this matter are therefore “curious but informed”, and thus should also be held to similar levels of scrutiny.
The beauty of evolution
Evolution, unlike beliefs such as creationism, is directly observable in real-time through experimental research. A compelling example is the multi-decade fox domestication experiment conducted in Russia. Starting in 1959, researchers selectively bred wild foxes, choosing the most docile and tame foxes from each generation to produce offspring. After (just) around 40 years, this selective breeding produced foxes with remarkably dog-like traits — they were eager to interact with humans, joyful and affectionate, and displayed other domesticated characteristics. Their physical appearances also changed, with floppy ears, curled tails, and piebald fur patterns emerging.
This rapid transformation from wild to domesticated foxes through artificial selection demonstrates the power of evolutionary pressures applied over time. If selective breeding can achieve such dramatic results in a few decades, natural selection and adaptation acting over billions of years is more than sufficient to account for the diversity and complexity of life we observe. The domesticated fox experiment provides visible, measurable evidence that evolution is an observable phenomenon, not simply a “belief”. Moreover, we don’t even have to look as far as foxes to observe it, just look at the various breeds of dogs we have also bred via artificial selection.
But this is just one example among many. We will not here discuss the overwhelming evidence for evolution (for that I would recommend the book “The Greatest Show on Earth” by Professor Richard Dawkins), but highlight why evolution is so compelling and ultimately compatible with spirituality. Understanding life as an unfolding evolutionary process can deepen our spiritual practice. Evolution illustrates the incredible creativity and intelligence inherent in nature — what could be called “divine creativity.”
“The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too”
— Saint Teresa of Avila
From an Advaita perspective, the consciousness or Brahman which permeates all manifest reality is expressing itself through the evolutionary journey. To quote the Christian mystic Saint Teresa of Avila: “The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too”. Creation is therefore not a singular past event, but an ongoing act of endless unfolding. Evolution is the mechanism by which Brahman diversifies into the myriad forms we observe: by “God” through “God”. In evolution, Brahman self-differentiates into increasing complexity to discover, experience and enjoy the wonders of itself (the Self).
Spiritually, we can appreciate evolution as “Lila” — the creative play of divinity in form, which is a Sanskrit term that translates loosely to “play of the divine”. Evolution, therefore, need not threaten spirituality. Nor should spiritual folks stubbornly reject science when evidence warrants acceptance. Both spirituality and science can demonstrate this evolutionary unfolding.
Prejudice against evolution as a “threat” to creationist beliefs is rooted in dogma and limited perspectives. Whilst it is true there is also some dogma in science, as mentioned, it is similarly true there is also dogma in spiritual circles beyond that of the Abrahamic religions. There is often dogma too in Buddhism, with its many precepts, and even in nondual traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, where one can regularly hear phrases such as “you are already That”, “just be”, or dogmatically asserting Advaita as “your” philosophy at the expense of all other perspectives. But the true, non-dogmatic, Advaitic view understands consciousness as the ground of all being, all change, and all becoming. Evolution is merely change over time, with the Advaitic perspective offering that it is only the “Atman” (the Pure/Witness Awareness) that does not change — “the unchanging amongst the changing” — to (roughly) quote the Gita. Neither of these require any dogmatic belief, but simply an observation and understanding of the material world and its evolutionary nature, and of one’s own unchanging Awareness.
Clinging to dogmatic beliefs
If we want to cling to dogma, or our beliefs, we’ll be forced to live in cognitive dissonance. We know from the field of behavioural economics that our inherent confirmation bias will lead us to seek out information that supports our existing worldview and ignore evidence that contradicts it. We see this as a problem not only in scientific and spiritual circles, but also in the political landscape of left vs right (see this stand up on confirmation bias by the comedian Tim Minchin for an explanation on this). Whilst we have tools to reduce bias in science — notably, the scientific method — such tools will always be fallible. But that requires better tools, not disregarding science altogether.
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
— Carl Sagan
The scientist Carl Sagan famously said “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” This principle applies to both science and spirituality. Scientific theories require strong empirical evidence in proportion to how much they diverge from current paradigms — evidence which evolution has in ample supply. Likewise, ideas such as creationism, or more broadly, “conspirituality”, which make supernatural or metaphysical claims that contradict scientific consensus and reject established truths, should be prepared to be held to commensurate levels of accountability, beyond relying solely on beliefs in ancient authority, as per the view of many creationists.
If, as per the teachings of J Krishnamurti, our beliefs are purely based on dogma, our beliefs become a “religion of escape”. That is ultimately what creationism is — escaping from what is “True” to what is “convenient”. Of course it is easier to cling to your “beliefs” than it is to challenge them — but how will that ever help you in the search for Truth? Science may have its limitations in assessing subjective spiritual experiences. But spiritual folks should demonstrate at least some minimal evidentiary standards and critical self-reflection.
A genuinely open-minded inquiry requires questioning dogmas in both spiritual and scientific worldviews. Spiritual beliefs need constant re-examination and reinterpretation of ancient dogmas in light of new understanding and insight. As HH the Dalai Lama stated: “if science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change”. Many spiritual folk would do well to heed this advice. Healthy spirituality and healthy science both require a certain epistemic humility.
Ultimately, the dogma that exists within some scientific circles is not a reason to dismiss science outright. Neither should personal “beliefs” around the origin of species or the fact that many scientists are themselves atheists be a reason to discredit or oppose science. Science, and particularly evolution, is at the crux of spirituality, not in opposition to it. Creationist or “intelligent design” arguments not only lack evidence, they are simply not intellectually appealing. After all, what fun would God have if (S)he wasn’t also evolving through us? Wouldn’t it be a pretty boring “creation” if everything had already been created? What room would be left for “Lila” (divine play)?
As Sagan warned, extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, regardless of the authority or tradition behind them. Unexamined dogmatic assumptions do a disservice to both science and spirituality. Being “spiritual” doesn’t mean you need to lose your critical thinking, no matter what TikTok would have you believe. There are many great resources which explore the relationships between quantum physics, consciousness, and spirituality which all serve as testament to this notion (i recommend the work of quantum physicist Dr. Amit Goswami). Evolution is not a threat to spirituality — it is at the heart of it — and serves to continue this collective unfolding of consciousness.
