CONTENTS

Introduction

Academic Curiosity or an Axe to Grind?
The Ignorance of Human Instincts
From Threat To Dominance
A Hierarchy Enshrined
Dominance (and Submission) Out of the Closet
To Defer is Divine?
Status: The Power of the Civilized
The Benevolent Alpha
God's "R" Us
Testosterone and the Temperament of Gods


PART I: PRELIMINARIES

1.  Homo Narcissus - Our Inflated Species-Esteem

The Way of All Flesh
Boosting Self-Esteem Via the Supernatural
Human Violance: Animal Nature or a Fall From Grace?

2.  God: Uber-Pater or El Presidente?

Father Dictates Best?
The Bible Deity: Your Great Father or Your Father's God?
From Family to Tribe, Father to Chief
Heirarchy: A Male Thing?
Testosterone: Cocktail of the Mightyt?
The Payoff for Dominance 
A God's Love of His Own Children (Part I) 
A God's Love of His Own Children (Part II)

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

Gaps in the Brain and a Jack of Many Trades
The Creative Confines of Nature
A Cerebral Confederacy

4.  Bumpkins in the Night

Who Goes There?
Perceiving Intention Behind Events
Hurricane Hugo Sent by a God
The Variety of Religious Agents and Experiences

5.  Comparing Adams and Orangutans

Comparing Adams and Orangutans
Sex, Toys, and Neotenic Species
There is Reproduction, and There is Sex
Sexual Pride & Reproductive Jealousy
Me and My Peeps
The Days of Our Troop
No Primate is an Island
Religion and Strength in Numbers
Throwing Stones at What Threatens Us
God's Violent Children
If You Aren't With Me/Us, You're Against Me/Us
Status on Our Minds (at Least Unconsciously)
Primate Females and Status
What Comes Naturally

PART II: DYNAMICS OF THE DOMINANT

6.  Power/Size

The Most Alpha of Alphas
My Leader is Bigger than Your Leader
God's Thundering Voice
Why Godliness is Up
Even in the Supernatural Realm, Size Matters
Submissiveness and the Sacred
By His Mighty Hand - I
By His Mighty Hand - II
By His Mighty Hand - III
Showing Submission to the Supernatural: Background
Showing Submission to the Supernatural: Bowing Down in Body and Spirit

7.  Eye Contact

The Eyes Have It
Vision, Information and Power

8.  Threat Displays
9.  Sexual Primacy, Sexual Jealousy
10.  First Fruits
11.  A Throne of Grooming

PART III:  BUT . . .

12.  Will the Real Proto-Human Please Stand Up
13.  The Egalitarian Ape
14.  Pacts Within a Pack

PART IV:  BENEFITS TO SUBORDINATES

15.  Peace Among Us
16.  Protection from Them
17.  A Provider of Bounty

PART V: AND?

18.  Science and the Educated Guess
19.  Indirect Evidence and Possible Tests
20.  The Buds of Religious Behavior