The book is Brain Bugs: How the Brain's Flaws Shape Our Lives by Dean Buonomano. There's a lot to say about this book, but how it most applies to Timicism is in his chapter on "The Supernatural Bug." Buonomano puts forth some interesting theories as to why our brains evolved a predilection for supernatural beliefs.
What I really appreciate is the following passage:
Throughout history religion has been a wellspring of compassion and benevolence. Today, religious organizations sponsor humanitarian efforts and continue to foster unparalleled acts of altruism-- thousands upon thousands of faithful work tirelessly in the most remote corners of the globe to feed and educate parentless children and others in need. Religion has nurtured the arts and sciences alike; countless scholars and scientists were priests, including Gregor Mendel whom many consider the father of modern genetics. And, of course, religion's most precious offering may be that it has served as a permanent oasis of hope and consolation in the face of often harsh realities.
Yet, when reviewing the vast database of irrational behaviors and repulsive acts that human beings have engaged in throughout history, religion has often stood in the foreground: from the human sacrifices of the Aztecs, through the Crusades and Inquisition, to suicide bombings and religiously motivated terrorism. Past and present religious beliefs have postponed scientific and technological progress, including the acceptance of heliocentrism, evolution, and stem-cell research. Additionally, lives continue to be lost to poverty and disease exacerbated by economic and health policies in which religion trumps reason....Religion has undeniably been the source of both great good and of great harm. [pp. 198-199.]
Unlike so many obnoxious atheists that I know, Buonomano is able to acknowledge that religion has done many good things, while at the same time it's clear he believes that belief in the supernatural is a "brain bug."
