How Rituals Elicit Shared Sacred Values

Abstract

Foreword | In “The Ritual Origins of Humanity”, Matt Rossano offers an important contribution to our understanding of ritual’s role in the development of humanity. Among the many merits of his target article, Rossano’s insights into the differences between chimpanzee and human capacities for group commitment are particularly pertinent and valuable. While we are in general agreement with Rossano’s approach and while we share his sentiment that ritual played a critical – and often overlooked – role in human social evolution, we think Rossano’s argument is in need of further elucidation. Specifically, although it is clear that apes are limited in their ability to elicit shared values amongst group members, it is not obvious how human rituals achieve what ape and other nonhuman rituals are unable to do, that is, provide a foundation for collective values. Our comments are aimed at filling this lacuna in Rossano’s argument.