**Author(s):** Lightner, AD; Heckelsmiller, C; Hagen, EH <br><br>Religious specialists invoke the supernatural while healing illnesses. We investigated such specialists in two studies. Study 1 analyzed medicinal specialists in 47 cultures in the Human Relations Area Files. We found specialists with supernatural theories in 74% of texts, often fulfilling practical, transactional roles for a clientele whose patronage hinges on expectations of efficacious treatment. Study 2 interviewed Tanzanian Maasai medicinal specialists and their clientele (N=84). We found that in the event of illness clients mainly selected specialists based on efficacy and religious identity. Participants also explained how medicinal plants work with highly abstract concepts that were not conspicuously supernatural. We review these findings and propose that, in many cases, (1) supernatural theories of disease are useful, abstract falsehoods that help explain complex and uncertain processes, such as illness; (2) specialists use these falsehoods to assist their clientele in a mutually beneficial exchange of services for resources; and (3) “religious” clients defer to specialists in a market, where patronage is conditional on effective solutions to uncertain and serious problems.

Supernatural theories of disease: Useful falsehoods in a market for specialists

Tools and toolkits of the cultural evolutionary trade

technical paper

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Cultural Evolution Society 2022

The field of cultural evolution is growing in size and scope; its theories, methods and applications - both academic and applied - are getting ever more robust. Do join us in what promises to be an exciting exchange of ideas and a celebration of our field.

Aaron Lightner

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Supernatural theories of disease: Useful falsehoods in a market for specialists

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