(Outline of Dunbar's thesis on friendship capacity in previous posts: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/24/the-definition-and-value-of-friendship/ and https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/) Robin Dunbar suggests (based on psychology and sociology) that human beings have an average capacity for 150 friends. These friends are in rings of closeness, each ring including the previous ring and being roughly 3 times the previous one. So a closest … Continue reading Dunbar’s number and church size and organisation →

(Second in a series looking at Dunbar's book 'Friends' https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/) Robin Dunbar looks at friendship through an evolutionary lens. Since we invest so much time and brain capacity into our friendships, they must bring us some benefit. And therefore he sometimes defines friendship in terms of the people who care for each other and will … Continue reading The definition and value of friendship →

Introduction to ‘Friends’ by Robin Dunbar This is the first in a series of blog posts on Robin Dunbar's book “Friends”. Dunbar is an evolutionary psychologist who worked at Oxford University. In this book he helps us understand the power of friendships and explores some of the social and biological realities involved. Robin Dunbar came … Continue reading Introduction to ‘Friends’ by Robin Dunbar →

Emmanuel Church Northstowe kindly gave me a 3 month sabbatical over summer 2023. Alongside some rest, a family wedding, and revising my Hebrew, I read a few neuroscience/ psychology books. Some Christians might wonder why any Christian or pastor would read neuroscience or psychology. These disciplines are secular disciplines carried out without any acknowledgement of … Continue reading Why read Neuroscience books as a Christian? →

Thanks for dropping by. My aim in this blog is to post thoughts from my Sabbatical reading of neuroscience and psychology books. In many ways, I write to help me clarify my own thoughts. I'd welcome constructive discussion of these thoughts, and offer them aware how far I am from being an expert in neuroscience.