Glenn Morton wrote on Mon, 26 Aug 1996
> I would like to throw out something for discussion that I see may become
> an issue within the lifetime of many here.
>
> A couple of months ago I was on a philosophy discussion group and we got
> into the nature of the brain. This led to a discussion of computers. Some
> people believe that the mind is a quantum computer.
I got involved in this discussion of the brain as a computer in a
Christian philosophy course at seminary where it seems the concept of
the brain as a computer comes from the naturalistic view of the
universe. That is, the concept comes stems from the belief (a
priori) that thought processes are bio-chemical in origin (this view
is supported by popular sci-fi such as Star Trek). As such, the
concept of a spirit in persons is discounted at best, rejected at
worst. Being also an electromagneticist by training, I would like
to pose an alternative thought: the brain is not a computer but an
antenna.
Suppose all thoughts, feelings, etc. originate, not in bio-chemical
reactions, but in the spirit. The nervous system (including the
brain and the associated, distributed nerves) is tuned to an
individual spirit, much as an electromagnetic antenna can be tuned
to a unique frequency. The physical condition of the body influences
the receptiveness of the nervous system to its unique spirit, much
as environmental conditions can detune an electromagnetic antenna. Of
course, the nervous system is a bi-directional antenna: both
receiving thoughts from the spirit and sending stimulai to the
spirit.
How would we prove such a proposition? Proof of an antenna's
existence is shown by removing the electromagnetic signal/path from
the antenna structure by blocking or jamming. Probably, attempting
to do so with the "brain antenna" would result in separating the body
from the spirit (i.e., death). The normal method of proof would
result in mass murder.
But, on a philosophical note, consider the implications. First,
there would be no struggle between science and religion because the
existence of the brain and its necessity would be assured, as well
as the existence of the spirit. The 'phantom limb' problem of
naturalistic philosophy would be resolved: the 'spirit wave' would
continue to exist, even though it's 'antenna receptor' was absent.
(For those not familiar with the phantom limb problem, when a limb is
amputated from a person, the person reports an awareness of the limb
remains, complete with the ability to use the absent limb.) As such,
prosthetics could possibly be developed to communicate with this
'spirit wave', assuming we understand how the body 'receives' spirit
signals. Likewise, diseases such as cerebral palsy would be seen,
not so much as a defective brain but a detuned receiver; the cure
would be to retune the spirit. Paranormal and metaphysical
phenomena, such as telepathy, could be explained as a nervous system
that is able to 'change its tuning', being capable of picking up
multiple 'spirit signals'. There is another paranormal effect (I
don't know how to spell it - something like the Kirelitch images??),
whereby ghostlike images have been observed and photographed around
persons, that could easily be explained by this explanation.
Finally, prayer and communion with God is more easily explained by a
spirit that has been tuned to the the 'Divine Frequency' than by a
bio-chemical reaction.
Well, these are my musings on the subject. Any comments?
William M. Frix
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering
Box 3021
John Brown University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Phone: (501) 524-7466
FAX: (501) 524-9548
EMAIL: wfrix@engr.jbu.edu