Exploring the Neuropsychological Origins of Religion and Philosophy: The Desire for Dao

From an evolutionary neuropsychological perspective, this paper proposes that humans' persistent pursuit of certainty originates from an ancient instinct called the Desire for Dao. When this instinct is blocked, a Restorative Instinct (anxiety) activates, driving individuals to seek definitive answers. Religion, philosophy, and divination arise to appease this anxiety. The paper describes a three-tier structure of the Wonder Family: curiosity/surprise, inquiry/exploration, and the Desire for Dao. Neural circuits involved in blocked Dao-seeking include the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and default mode network, requiring more cognitive engagement than ordinary instinct blocks. Comparing Eastern and Western civilizations, the paper argues that Chinese philosophy (Confucianism and Daoism) provides a self-consistent framework of certainty through cultivation and internalization, whereas Western philosophy remains trapped in endless questioning.

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Abstract

Abstract From an evolutionary neuropsychological perspective, this paper proposes that humans’ persistent pursuit of certainty originates from the most ancient instinct — the Desire for Dao. When this instinct is blocked, the Restorative Instinct (anxiety) is activated, forcing the individual to seek definitive answers. To appease this irrepressible anxiety, religion, philosophy, and divination emerge. The paper further delineates the three‑tier structure of the Wonder Family (curiosity/surprise, inquiry/exploration, and the Desire for Dao). It shows that the neural circuits involved in blocked Dao‑seeking include the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and default mode network, requiring far more cognitive engagement than ordinary instinct blocks. By comparing how Eastern and Western civilizations soothe ultimate anxiety, the paper reveals how Chinese philosophy (Confucianism and Daoism) provides a self‑consistent framework of certainty through cultivation and internalization, whereas Western philosophy remains trapped in endless questioning. This work deepens and extends the preprint Exploring the Nature of Anxiety: The Restorative Instinct and the Origin of Divination. Keywords: Desire for Dao; Restorative Instinct; anxiety; Wonder Family; philosophy of religion; neuropsychology Chinese Abstract (Original) 从神经心理学角度探究宗教与哲学本源-求道本能 本文从进化神经心理学视角出发,提出人类对不确定性的执念源于最古老的本能——求道本能(Desire for Dao)。当求道本能受阻时,会产生“复原本能”(焦虑),迫使个体寻求确定性答案。为了安抚这种无法平息的焦虑,宗教、哲学、占卜应运而生。文章进一步划分了惊奇本能的三层结构(好奇/惊奇、求知/探索、求道),指出求道受阻涉及的神经回路包括海马体、前额叶皮层和默认模式网络,认知卷入程度远高于一般本能受阻。通过比较东西方文明对终极焦虑的安抚方式,揭示中国哲学(儒家、道家)如何通过教化与内化提供自洽的确定性框架,而西方哲学则陷入永无止境的追问。本文是对《焦虑本质探究:复原本能与占卜诞生本源》预印本的深化与拓展。 Keywords: 求道本能;复原本能;焦虑;惊奇家族;宗教哲学;神经心理学