(STL.News) Modern society is often described as increasingly secular and scientific. Yet despite astonishing technological progress, humanity remains deeply fascinated by religion, mythology and stories that attempt to explain the human experience.
Ancient epics continue to be adapted into films. Religious texts remain among the most widely read books in history. Mythological themes appear throughout literature, psychology and popular culture. Even people who do not consider themselves religious often search for meaning, purpose and a larger narrative that helps make sense of life.
This fascination has inspired a diverse range of thinkers.
Joseph Campbell argued that myths express universal patterns within the human psyche. Psychiatrist Carl Jung believed recurring symbols and archetypes reveal deep psychological structures shared across cultures. Historian of religion Karen Armstrong has explored how spiritual traditions emerged as humanity grappled with suffering, morality and transcendence.
At the same time, many scientists have sought naturalistic explanations for religion and mythology. Evolutionary psychologists have proposed that religious belief may have enhanced social cohesion, while anthropologists have examined the role of shared narratives in maintaining cooperation within large societies.
Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith approaches these questions from a different direction. Griffith argues that many myths, religious traditions and recurring stories contain symbolic attempts to understand what he calls the human condition—the conflict that emerged when conscious humans began searching for knowledge and understanding. According to Griffith, instincts can orient behavior through genetic learning, but a conscious intellect must understand through reasoning and experience. As humans acquired consciousness and began the search for knowledge, they inevitably had to challenge instinctive orientations. Griffith argues that the resulting instinctive “criticism” of this necessary search for understanding left humans in a psychologically troubled state that they could not explain.
According to Griffith’s interpretation, many of humanity’s most enduring myths and religious traditions are symbolic attempts to make sense of that predicament. Stories about humanity’s “fall,” the loss of innocence, good and evil, redemption and salvation reflect humanity’s long search for an explanation of its seemingly flawed condition. His broader body of work claims to reconcile aspects of science and religion by providing a biological explanation for the psychological tension that has shaped human history. This includes explanations of religious themes, myths, and humanity’s search for meaning.
Many readers first encounter Griffith’s ideas through THE Interview, a widely shared introduction to his explanation of the human condition. Others begin with FREEDOM, the book in which Griffith presents his biological explanation of the human condition in its most comprehensive form.
Interest in Jeremy Griffith has also been driven by endorsements from several academics and mental health professionals. Former Canadian Psychiatric Association president Harry Prosen described Griffith’s work as “the breakthrough we have been waiting for,” while biologist Stuart Hurlbert referred to it as a potential “Darwin II” moment. Supporters point to these and other commendations as evidence that the theory has attracted serious consideration from scholars in a range of disciplines.
Outside Griffith’s work, interest in meaning and mythology continues to grow. The popularity of authors such as Jordan Peterson, who frequently discuss mythological symbolism, demonstrates that many people remain hungry for frameworks that connect science, psychology and existential questions.
Organizations such as the Templeton Foundation have similarly supported research exploring the intersection of science, philosophy and spirituality. Meanwhile, scholars across disciplines continue investigating how myths shape identity, morality and social cohesion.
What is striking is that these conversations persist even in an age dominated by technology and data. Humanity appears reluctant to abandon questions about meaning, purpose and transcendence.
Perhaps this reflects something fundamental about the human experience. Facts and information are essential, but people also seek narratives that help explain who they are, why they suffer and what role they play within a larger story.
Whether those answers are sought through religion, mythology, psychology or biology, the underlying questions remain remarkably consistent across cultures and centuries.
That enduring search for meaning may explain why theories attempting to connect science with humanity’s deepest existential concerns continue to attract attention. They address questions that technology alone has never fully answered: why are we here, why do we struggle, and how should we live?
