> So I was wondering how the diverse advocates of TE on this list think
> about either souls or freedom in light of science.
> (I realize dualism is not necc. required for faith but the "soul" still
> seems a problem.) BTW this is not a challenge to TE as I am more and more
> there these days so if we could avoid the banterfest on this one and just
> assume TE for this thread (if anyone takes it) that would be cool,
For me, the question of the soul is very simple. As I have already
mentioned, I believe that there are two universes, the physical and the
non-physical, and that the natural universe of science is part of the
physical universe. I also believe that the soul is a gift from God that
makes mankind spiritual creatures, so that we can interact directly with God.
As such, I believe that the soul is spiritual and comes from the
non-physical universe. Since science can only deal with the natural
universe, by definition the soul is outside the jurisdiction of science. In
other words, since science can neither validate nor invalidate the existence
of the soul, people who "claim" on the basis of science that the soul does
not exist are actually voicing a personal religious belief and not a
scientifically defensible claim at all.
The question of freedom is more problematical. It is my opinion that what we
call the mind is a result of the physical neuronal structure and the
electrical/biochemical activity of the brain. Since freedom is a concept of
the mind, the concept of freedom is also a result of the physical brain as
well. That does NOT, however, mean that I believe that freedom is simply a
result of randomly firing neurons, or is the result of millions of years of
evolution, or any other such extremist creationist clap-trap. What I
actually believe is harder to put into words, but it goes something like this.
Like any other property of our physical bodies, the mind is subject to
evolution, but unlike the brain itself it is not limited to physical
evolution. I believe that the mind undergoes what I call cognitive
evolution, which is much faster than either physical evolution or cultural
evolution. However, I believe that cognitive evolution works very much the
same as physical evolution. Just as their are physical traits that are
selected for on the basis of which enhance physical survivability, so too are
there cognitive traits that can be selected for to enhance cognitive
survivability. Freedom is one of these traits that has been selected for
because it enhances cognitive survivability. I tend to believe that
cognitive traits, like physical traits, are created by unconscious cognitive
processes, but I would not say that they are the result of "random mutation".
Rather I believe they are a pre-determined result of our mind as it is
currently structured. However, that does not mean that we have no choice as
to what traits we accept. Out of all the many traits that exist, we tend to
select only those few that best enhance our own cogntive survivability. (I
cannot as yet adequately define this term. In essence it is a combination of
mental well-being, intellectual capacity and emotional well-being.) For
example, many of us tend to select freedom, because it gives us the ability
and the confidence to deal with life as we see fit, but there are those who
believe that freedom is a handicap. They see freedom as chaotic and prefer
some form of ideology to guide them through life. In other words, whereas
most of us prefer to handle the aspects of life in whatever manner best suits
us at the time, others prefer to use a pre-determined set of instructions.
The manner in which we select which traits we want to have is partially
conscious, but it is also partially sub- or unconscious. Some of it is based
on our unique personalities, some of it on how we are raised and what we are
taught, and some of it on our conscious thoughts and desires.
In any event, because the mind is a part of the natural universe, I believe
that it is possible for science to understand and explain the mind and mental
concepts, like freedom. However, since I believe the mind is a physical
feature, as are the mental concepts, I do not see freedom as an illusion.
Kevin L. O'Brien