user8238: Many people try to approach meditation and Buddhism from a scientific materialist perspective, despite the fact that Buddhism makes explicit claims about the after life, and despite the fact that Buddhism explicitly state that it is a Wrong View to believe in materialist Annihilation.
I posted the following questions rhetorically as part of an answer to another question, but it was suggested to be moved to its own question:
So, are there any materialist explanations to the following?

Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world
that is run based on natural selection?
How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and
realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary
model?
What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,
anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not
reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?

What are the materialist claims by other philosophies with regards to meditation that you have seen? For example: (Evolutionary psychology) people are driven to help others because it enhance group survival. According to the same thinking though, people are also jerks because it enhance their own survival.
What are the counter arguments from Buddhism to these claims?

user106: 

Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world
  that is run based on natural selection?               


Don't know; but it's just what is pleasing me. Also it helps to organize my view of things to the more relaxed one. Evolutionary benefit ? Why not... 


How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and
  realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary
  model?                        


We seem not to be surprised, that, for instance, skiing is joyful and motion/sports is making peaceful in general, according to the doctors. Is skiing meaningful through an evolutionary model? (I'm taking your terms without really wanting to use that language & concept - but just for the moment...)                   


What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,
  anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not
  reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?


Training the ability for selflessness, peace and compassion is very likely advantaguous for a (socially organized) species, even if it looks sometimes disadvantaguous for an individuum. And - if I'm relaxed not to run blindly and hysteric for reproduction, that's in a materialistic view surely benefitial for me (and as well for possible reproduction-partners ... ;-) ).               
In short: emancipation from the totalitaristic greedyness of the "evolutionary paradigm" is -in my view- a step forward in the evolution of human kind (and that is also the background for answering this here in a buddhism-forum: the teaching of the Buddha can be understood as teaching for emancipation from greeds ("tanha") attachments and illusions.)

8238: <p>Many people try to approach meditation and Buddhism from a scientific materialist perspective, despite the fact that Buddhism makes explicit claims about the after life, and despite the fact that Buddhism explicitly state that it is a Wrong View to believe in materialist Annihilation.</p>

<p>I posted the following questions rhetorically as part of an answer to another question, but it was suggested to be moved to its own question:</p>

<p>So, are there any materialist explanations to the following?</p>

<ol>
<li>Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world
that is run based on natural selection?</li>
<li>How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and
realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary
model?</li>
<li>What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,
anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not
reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?</li>
</ol>

<p>What are the materialist claims by <strong>other philosophies</strong> with regards to meditation that you have seen? For example: (Evolutionary psychology) people are driven to help others because it enhance group survival. According to the same thinking though, people are also jerks because it enhance their own survival.</p>

<p>What are the counter arguments from Buddhism to these claims?</p>
 106: <blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>Why is meditation pleasurable and helpful in a materialist world
  that is run based on natural selection?               </li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>Don't know; but it's just what is pleasing me. Also it helps to organize my view of things to the more relaxed one. Evolutionary benefit ? Why not... </p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="2">
  <li>How is the possibility of experiencing states of joy and peace and
  realizations through meditation possible through an evolutionary
  model?                        </li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>We seem not to be surprised, that, for instance, skiing is joyful and motion/sports is making peaceful in general, according to the doctors. Is skiing meaningful through an evolutionary model? (I'm taking your terms without really wanting to use that language &amp; concept - but just for the moment...)                   </p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="3">
  <li>What evolutionary advantage would make the desire to end greed,
  anger and selflessness such the desire to become a monastic (not
  reproducing and passing on your genes) occur?</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>Training the ability for selflessness, peace and compassion is very likely advantaguous for a (socially organized) species, even if it looks sometimes disadvantaguous for an individuum. And - if I'm relaxed not to run blindly and hysteric for reproduction, that's in a materialistic view surely benefitial for me (and as well for possible reproduction-partners ... ;-) ).               </p>

<p>In short: emancipation from the totalitaristic greedyness of the "evolutionary paradigm" is -in my view- a step forward in the evolution of human kind (and that is also the background for answering this here in a buddhism-forum: the teaching of the Buddha can be understood as teaching for emancipation from greeds ("<em>tanha</em>") attachments and illusions.)</p>
