We humans evolved a way to take some of the things that are important to us, and bind our groups together by seeing those things as “sacred”. That is, by seeing them in the same way, via always seeing them from a distance. Such things are seen more abstractly and intuitively, with less conscious calculation, and less attending to details. Sacred things are idealized, and not to be mixed with or traded off against other things. Sacred thinking can be less competent, but induces more effort, and can keep us from being overwhelmed by strong passions.
I'm just not buying into this set of ideas you are associating with the word "sacred." Most literally and essentially, sacred things are things that are revered by an actual religion for supernatural reasons. They aren't necessarily abstract, they don't necessarily involve less conscious calculation. The most important aspect of literally sacred things is the association of a supernatural property, such as the conversion of wine to blood, or the belief that it involves shepherding souls, or the belief that it is part of a supernatural deity's plan for humanity, something like that.
The word "sacred" can also sometimes be used in a metaphorical context to refer to mundane things that we value and respect greatly. I really don't see the word "sacred" used in a non-religious, metaphorical context that often. If I saw an author or politician call some non-religious thing "sacred," such as if they called freedom or liberty or family sacred, I would be wondering if they really meant it was literally sacred in a religious sense, with supernatural/Biblical connotations. And usually that would indeed be the case.
On the second issue, experts who only rarely directly confront the most sacred versions of their subject up close, like soldiers, police, or doctors, can drill and practice in a far mode, so that they can perform well intuitively and without much thought in the rare big stakes cases. But what about the other priests, who confront their sacred subjects more often?You gave examples of the former, but not the latter. What would be some examples of that?
"We humans evolved"
Right there you failed. You're the profane priest. Now go f yourself.
Well, there are things like vows of poverty and celibacy to limit what they can gain.
I'm just not buying into this set of ideas you are associating with the word "sacred." Most literally and essentially, sacred things are things that are revered by an actual religion for supernatural reasons. They aren't necessarily abstract, they don't necessarily involve less conscious calculation. The most important aspect of literally sacred things is the association of a supernatural property, such as the conversion of wine to blood, or the belief that it involves shepherding souls, or the belief that it is part of a supernatural deity's plan for humanity, something like that.
The word "sacred" can also sometimes be used in a metaphorical context to refer to mundane things that we value and respect greatly. I really don't see the word "sacred" used in a non-religious, metaphorical context that often. If I saw an author or politician call some non-religious thing "sacred," such as if they called freedom or liberty or family sacred, I would be wondering if they really meant it was literally sacred in a religious sense, with supernatural/Biblical connotations. And usually that would indeed be the case.
On the second issue, experts who only rarely directly confront the most sacred versions of their subject up close, like soldiers, police, or doctors, can drill and practice in a far mode, so that they can perform well intuitively and without much thought in the rare big stakes cases. But what about the other priests, who confront their sacred subjects more often?You gave examples of the former, but not the latter. What would be some examples of that?