Ann Neurol February 2008 PMID 18072236

Functional neuroimaging of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty.

Sam Harris, Sameer A Sheth, Mark S Cohen

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Mentions

37
Peak: 6 in Feb 2025
across 6 sources since Apr 2019

Extended reach

105,755
potential audience

Total likes

3,644

Video views

82,563

Mentions per month

Apr 2019 – Feb 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter13 posts
  • News11 articles
  • Blogs6 articles
  • YouTube3 videos
  • Facebook2 posts
  • Reddit2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions highlight curiosity about the methodology and implications, such as questions about Sam Harris' approach and neural activation patterns, exemplified by comments like 'what you make of the methodology' and references to brain regions involved, which demonstrate readers’ interest in the scientific details. The tone remains mostly neutral and exploratory, contributing to a moderate overall engagement and impact.

AgreementNeither agree nor disagree

Most comments do not clearly support or oppose the findings, indicating neutral or mixed opinions.

InterestModerate interest

Participants show some curiosity, especially around discussions of methodology and neural mechanisms.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts referencing the specifics of brain regions and scientific concepts suggest moderate engagement.

ImpactNeutral impact

The discussions are somewhat influential but mostly centered on curiosity and clarification rather than advocacy or debate.

Abstract in brief

  • The study uses fMRI to explore how the brain differentiates between believing, disbelieving, and feeling uncertain about statements across various content areas, revealing distinct brain regions involved in each state.
  • Believing and disbelieving a statement activate specific areas in the prefrontal and parietal cortices, as well as the basal ganglia, while uncertainty involves different neural circuits linked to decision-making and emotional processing.
  • The findings suggest that accepting or rejecting a statement is linked to both higher cognitive functions and more primitive emotional responses, with areas like the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex playing key roles, leading to a connection between truth, beauty, and emotional reactions like disgust or pleasure.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Logicked
@logicked · X

NEW VIDEO: Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! This is bait, but it’s so unusual that it deserves a video nonetheless. https://t.co/1dpTTRzKOR

Feb 9, 2025 · 17 likes · 1 share · 14,933 followers View post →
Paige N. Fox
@paigefox_atty · X

Feb 24, 2025 · 1 like · 3,150 followers View post →
Virginie Glaenzer
@VirginieG · X

@wakingup #AskSam Could you please share the paper you co-wrote on Functional neuroimaging of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty? @NCBI requires a paid membership.

Jan 18, 2021 · 1,676 followers View post →
David Melamed
@DavidMelamed · X

@SueSutton63 @C_Kavanagh @theclintonsnuke @su3su2u1 @Halalcoholism @SarahTheHaider @SamHarrisOrg Sam is likely in a healthier place when it comes to uncertainty...he's studied it https://t.co/Xd49sTIVi7 & had guests on discussing it https://t.co/AaRbCMGiAf https://t.co/YF58YwosqM I think its misinformed to confuse Sam's understanding of the world with faith based certainty.

Jan 22, 2022 · 1,377 followers View post →
Justin Harris
@JustinH56146878 · X

RT @logicked: NEW VIDEO: Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! This is bait, but it’s so unusual that it deserves a video nonetheless. h…

Feb 9, 2025 · 1 share · 774 followers View post →
Peter Barrett
@PHSBarrett · X

How bad are you at listening? Especially to people who disagree with you. New video up on Wednesday on this topic with practical tools you can use and shout outs to @ListenFirstProj @JonHaidt @GrahamBodie ➡️https://t.co/eGKhJdF8cO https://t.co/1MEPSB3wcD

Mar 20, 2023 · 382 followers View post →

All mentions

Paige N. Fox
@paigefox_atty · X

Feb 24, 2025 · 1 like · 3,150 followers View post →
StarGlazedMuffins
@StarGlazedMuff1 · X

Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! https://t.co/zchnZxpkT0 via @YouTube

Feb 14, 2025 · 174 followers View post →
Justin Harris
@JustinH56146878 · X

RT @logicked: NEW VIDEO: Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! This is bait, but it’s so unusual that it deserves a video nonetheless. h…

Feb 9, 2025 · 1 share · 774 followers View post →
John Stopman
@StopmanJohn · X

Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! https://t.co/afHMNLQ4QI via @YouTube

Feb 9, 2025 · 139 followers View post →
Logicked
@logicked · X

NEW VIDEO: Hey atheists, lack of belief ISN’T REAL! This is bait, but it’s so unusual that it deserves a video nonetheless. https://t.co/1dpTTRzKOR

Feb 9, 2025 · 17 likes · 1 share · 14,933 followers View post →
Slava
@vvslavavv · X

@OldMalbethArnor https://t.co/ROKfWXgzuW

May 23, 2023 · 55 followers View post →
Slava
@vvslavavv · X

@OldMalbethArnor @darwintojesus @I_Love_Pi_73 https://t.co/ROKfWXgzuW

May 23, 2023 · 55 followers View post →
Peter Barrett
@PHSBarrett · X

How bad are you at listening? Especially to people who disagree with you. New video up on Wednesday on this topic with practical tools you can use and shout outs to @ListenFirstProj @JonHaidt @GrahamBodie ➡️https://t.co/eGKhJdF8cO https://t.co/1MEPSB3wcD

Mar 20, 2023 · 382 followers View post →
Critical Mink
@CriticalMink · X

@GurusPod Been wondering for a while what you make of the methodology in Sam Harris' paper? https://t.co/bOwpRJhLKh Briggs (rather long-winded) assesment does seem to chime with my somewhat hazy memories of Biological Statistics 101 & 102 (https://t.co/Y4P4zYvuK2)?

Sep 30, 2022 · 22 followers View post →
David Melamed
@DavidMelamed · X

@SueSutton63 @C_Kavanagh @theclintonsnuke @su3su2u1 @Halalcoholism @SarahTheHaider @SamHarrisOrg Sam is likely in a healthier place when it comes to uncertainty...he's studied it https://t.co/Xd49sTIVi7 & had guests on discussing it https://t.co/AaRbCMGiAf https://t.co/YF58YwosqM I think its misinformed to confuse Sam's understanding of the world with faith based certainty.

Jan 22, 2022 · 1,377 followers View post →
Graham McLeod
@GrahamAMcLeod · X

FOUR. Do judgements of true, false, or uncertain come from analytic cognition? Or, are these judgements more like "feelings" that happen to us when we think? This paper sheds some light… https://t.co/qKfXmlX0Qy https://t.co/8d5QTeaTkF

Mar 24, 2021 · 201 followers View post →
Virginie Glaenzer
@VirginieG · X

@wakingup #AskSam Could you please share the paper you co-wrote on Functional neuroimaging of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty? @NCBI requires a paid membership.

Jan 18, 2021 · 1,676 followers View post →
John Mcenroe Regains a Point
@MacEnroe_Yells · X

@simmysamsozzle @je_suis_moi_ You must be right that Sam should have chosen a different family His fMRI studies showed “The states of belief, disbelief, & uncertainty differentially activated distinct regions of the prefrontal and parietal cortices, as well as the basal ganglia.” https://t.co/xxIfVnKxHN

Apr 8, 2019 · 251 followers View post →