RE: mind/brain, the soul and immortality

Humans explain the physical world in terms of models, preferably mathematical, that provide explanations, which also lead to predications. Note that the theories developed are like maps of a city, which describe the city but are not the city itself. Now I ask you, can maps be used to deny the existence of entities, say the human soul or God, not included in map making? The nonphysical aspect of nature is not part of the scientific enterprise. Therefore, the physical description of nature cannot be used to deny the existence of entities that are not detected by physical measuring devices. Note that man, without the aid of his five physical senses, can detect consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is outside the scope of science since only conscious, human beings can detect it.

Moorad

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From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu on behalf of Terry M. Gray
Sent: Sun 3/20/2005 6:41 PM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: mind/brain, the soul and immortality

Here's a question I like to pose to anthropological monists:

Does our ability to explain the natural world in terms of
physical/chemical/biological phenomenon mean that God is not present
and acting? We don't actually see evidence of divine action in the
world around us, do we? Does the absence of such evidence using
scientific methods mean that it's not there?

Similarly, I fail to see how the existence of an immaterial soul is
affected by our ability to explain various mind function in terms of
brain and neurophysiological function.

For me the most compelling argument for the existence of the soul is
the notion in scripture of the intermediate state, i.e. continued
conscious existence apart from the body. Granted, the Bible doesn't
have a lot to say about this, but it does seem to suggest such a
state exists. I have not been convinced by traditional Seventh Day
Adventist exegesis or some of the more recent evangelical attempts to
argue against the traditional Christian teaching.

This in no way implies that normal human existence doesn't depend on
a functioning brain/body or that life in the new heavens and new
earth will not depend on a resurrected brain/body. If the soul is
separable upon death, then God has so ordered our bodily existence
that the state of our bodies/brains does affect the state of our
soul--in this life and the next.

Nothing at the ASA meeting this past year convinced me that monism
was right. Those advocating monism on the basis of scientific
evidence commit the same categorical error as materialists in general
(e.g. concerning God's action in the world). Please note that I'm not
suggesting that monists are materialists with respect to God's action
in the world.

TG

--
_________________
Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado  80523
grayt@lamar.colostate.edu  http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801