Table of Contents

AN ALMIGHTY ALPHA

How Our Primate Heritage Contributes to Belief in Gods

Introduction

I: Preliminaries

1. Homo Narcissus – Just an Animal?

2. God: Uber-Pater or El Presidente?

3. Nurture and the Swiss-Army Knife of Human Nature

4. Bumpkins in the Night

5. Comparing Adams and Orangutans

II: Qualities of the Dominant

6. Size/Power

7. Eye Contact

8. Threat Displays

9. Sexual Primacy, Sexual Jealousy

10. First Fruits

11. Soothed by Grooming

III: But . . .

12. Will the Real Proto-Human Please Stand Up

13. The Egalitarian Ape: All for All and None for One

14. The Pacts Within a Pack

IV: Benefits to Subordinates

15. Peace Among Us

16. Protection from Them

17. The Gift of Provisions

V: And?

18. Science and the Educated Guess

19. Indirect Evidence and Possible Tests

20. The Buds of Religious Behavior

Notes