by James Augustus Religion & Ritual on the Spectrum of the Completeness of Infor

by James Augustus

Religion & Ritual on the Spectrum of the Completeness of Information: Cognition & Action Under Asymmetric/Incomplete Information

The Spectrum:

(+)<——–Information——–>(-)

(*) (2) (1) (0) (-1) (-2)

(+)

Truth

Empiricism

Individualism

Markets

Sovereignty

Eugenic

(-)

Lies

Mysticism

Collectivism

Discretion

Submission

Dysgenic

Religion and Ritual:

*Ratio-empirical Consequentialism: human action under complete, operational, and deterministic information.

(2) Stoicism: partial but actionable information. Action and cognition directed towards the immediately calculable, operational, actionable.

(1) Shinto: position: partial (approaching random) information. Action and cognition directed towards the replicable: precise repetition of ritual in addition to ancestor and nature worship, respectively.

(0) Buddhism: random, in-actionable information. In-actionable information creates a preference for avoidance/disassociation. Action directed towards escaping conceptualization, accounting and calculation: escapism via meditation.

(-1) Christianity: partial construction of misinformation. Action and cognition directed towards group in attempt to extended kinship altruism, and create feelings of [physical] security + belonging (social security).

(-2) Islam: near-complete construction of, and dependence upon, misinformation. Action and cognition directed towards demonstrating and enforcing submission through high-cost of ritual.