EP #22 | Religion as Make-Believe | Neil Van Leeuwen

EP #22 | Religion as Make-Believe | Neil Van Leeuwen

From Cognitations by Jay Richardson and Tanay Katiyar

May 8, 2026 · 1h 15m

About this episode

Neil Van Leeuwen discusses the nature of religious beliefs and their similarities to imaginative play in his book 'Religion as Make-Believe'.

Religion is a puzzling phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a major historical motor, shaping civilizations and guiding billions of lives. On the other hand, the core of religion centers around beings and realms that we simply cannot see, touch, or measure. One might then wonder, how can religious beliefs be both more important to us than ordinary beliefs, and more removed from what we can know to be the case? In his recent book, Religion as Make-Believe, Neil Van Leeuwen offers a provocative answer: religious beliefs have this puzzling aspect because they are, in reality, a kind of imagining, not so different from that which guides child’s play. Media Recommendations1. Movie: Conclave Credits: Interview: Tanay Katiyar and Jay Richardson Editing: Tanay Katiyar Communication: Tanay Katiyar Music: Thelma Samuel and Robin Baradel Artwork: Ella Bergru This episode is sponsored by The European Behaviour and Evolution Association (EHBEA)

People in this episode

Hosts: Jay Richardson, Tanay Katiyar

Guest: Neil Van Leeuwen

Topics covered

  • religion
  • belief systems
  • imagination
  • child's play
  • historical impact
  • philosophy

Keywords

  • religion
  • belief
  • imagination
  • philosophy
  • historical impact
  • Neil Van Leeuwen
  • child's play

Sponsors

The European Behaviour and Evolution Association

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Religion as Make-Believe, Conclave

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