Where Is God?

　　One of the popular criticisms of fMRI brain imaging is the tendency for studies to plant flags in the brain. For instance claiming that one area is responsible for religion, and that the so-called “God spot” exists.

　　Critics say there is more to religious belief than a neural spot, as it involves faith and practice. So wide ranging networks of neurons may behave more like an R&B band, producing numerous melodies, rather than be dedicated solely to one rhythm.
　　Research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences seems to support this side. Scientists scanned brains while subjects considered religious statements, one about God in our daily lives, “God’s will guides my family.” Another about God’s decrees, “God demands sacrifices.” And God’s emotions, “God is angered by human sin.”

　　All three types of statements sparked activity in well-known neural networks that also light up when we consider political beliefs, emotions, as well as abstract concepts, and when we understand others’ intentions.

　　Will we ever capture the idea of God in the brain? Most question this, after all, how does one find the region of soul in a rhythm and blues band?

　　上帝在哪里？

　　功能核磁共振成像技术（fMRI）近来试图通过脑成像来研究大脑不同区域的特定功能，这备受批评。比如，fMRI宣称大脑中有一个区域负责宗教，还称存在所谓的“上帝点”（God Spot）。

　　因为宗教涉及忠诚和相关的宗教活动，因此批评人士说与其说大脑中存在这样一个“中性点”，还不如说存在一个宗教信仰的问题。大脑中的神经细胞网络非常的广泛，它们的行为方式更类似于一个节奏布鲁斯乐队（R&B band）的演奏，而乐队演奏的旋律是变幻无穷的，绝不是演奏单一的一种旋律。

　　发表在本周《美国国家科学院院刊》（Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences）上的研究似乎支持上述观点。科学家让实验参与者们考虑如下的宗教性语言，其中一句与我们日常生活中的上帝有关——“上帝的旨意引导我的家庭”。另外一句与上帝的命令有关——“上帝要求我们做出牺牲。”还有一句与上帝的情感有关——“上帝因为人类的原罪而愤怒。”当实验参与者们在考虑这些宗教语言的时候，科学家们对他们的大脑利用功能核磁共振成像技术进行扫描。

　　所有上述的三种语言表达都激活了人们所熟知的一些神经网络，而当我们考虑政治信仰、情感、抽象概念以及当我们理解他人的意图的时候，这些神经网络也照样活跃起来。

　　我们将来能在大脑中“锁定”上帝的想法吗？许多人都表示怀疑，毕竟在大脑如此复杂的神经网络里面我们怎么去发现一个特定的灵魂区域呢？