The basic idea is that over evolutionary time the brain acquires adaptive skills and insights, what Peterson calls "knowing-how" information. This "knowing-how" is encoded as procedural memory, memory that is behavioral rather than cognitive in nature. For example, "knowing-how" to ride a bike is a form of behavioral memory in contrast to the sort of cognitive recall you need to answer a trivia question.
At lower forms of evolutionary development adaptive knowledge is encoded as procedural memory, as habits, behavioral patterns, social norms, and forms of play. Eventually, however, as meta-cognitive capacities evolved, we came to reflect upon our habits of behavior. Knowing-how began to shift to knowing-why. As Peterson describes it, "It is only after behavioral (procedural) wisdom has become 'represented' in episodic memory and portrayed in drama and narrative that it becomes accessible to 'conscious' verbal formulation and potential modification in abstraction." Here we see the development of drama, ritual, narrative, myth and religion. As Peterson describes it, what was once implicit in procedural memory (knowing-how) becomes explicit in representational and symbolic memory (knowing-why). These symbols are the Jungian archetypes, the dramatic characters and personages that inhabit the mythological world. As Peterson states, "Dramatic personae [within myth] embody the behavioral wisdom of history." For example, to borrow from the last post, in myth the dangers of the unknown and unexplored territory become symbolically associated with "the Dragon." "The Dragon," therefore, is symbolically pointing toward a real adaptive challenge and the myths surrounding the Dragon share vital, time-tested "knowing-how" wisdom about how we should face adaptive challenges. As said above, the myth is a symbolic embodiment of "the behavioral wisdom of history."
This is how the myth becomes "true." Not metaphysically true, but true as "wisdom," as guidance in how to live. And this sets up how Peterson approaches myth, and biblical myth in his Bible lectures. We need to investigate and explore the "behavioral wisdom of history" encoded in any given myth. A deep truth resides within myth, symbolically encoded. Our job is to crack that code and receive that wisdom.
Any lesson for the church here?
As I listened to Bishop Robert Barron and Jonathan Pageau discuss their conversation with Jordan Peterson, both videos/podcasts worth a watch/listen, they made the point that Peterson's work is most at home in the sapiential, wisdom tradition of Judaism and Christianity. That is, Peterson's use of the Christian myth is to share wisdom, insight, and advice on "how to" live. This is how best to think about what I described as Peterson's "advice giving," as an expression of the wisdom tradition. Which, I think, is helpful for pastors who also want to share more specific, concrete guidance regarding the "art of living." Pastors can lean more deeply into the wisdom tradition when speaking to their churches.
More, Peterson's thoughts about procedural memory highlight the power of ritual, liturgy and dramatic symbolism. Much truth, perhaps even most, is encoded implicitly and behaviorally. This is why the liturgy of the Mass is so important for both the Catholic and Orthodox.
Lastly, Peterson's approach highlights the role of orthopraxy (right practice). We spend a lot of time fighting over words and can forget that truths are powerfully communicated simply through "the doing of the thing." There is much wisdom in thinking about faith as a form of procedural memory, as "knowing-how" to live.
