In Search of the Soul: Four Views of the Mind-Body Problem

Bys: Green, Joel B. and Palmer, Stuart L.

Editors Joel B. Green and Stuart L. Palmer present differing evangelical perspectives on the body and soul, mind and brain problem: Stewart Goetz on substance dualism, William Hasker on emergent... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830827730
• ISBN13: 9780830827732
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Four Speculations

As science continues to learn more about the physical nature of consciousness and how our selfhood is physically represented in the brain, it is interesting to ponder the concept of the "I" and what it is. Do we have souls, or are we merely animate matter? Or something in between? This book provides a good beginning primer on the topic from a Christian standpoint, from which one may pursue other reading. After an introductory chapter, the book contains essays by four professors who express different conceptions of the mind/body relation, two dualists who describe the nuances of their view, and two materialists who express the nuances of their view. After each essay, the other three professors critique that essay's tenets from their viewpoint. The result is a well-balanced presentation similar to a debate, leaving the reader as judge. While the essays are copiously footnoted, providing bibliography for further reading, I felt that several of the contributors focused too much on an introspective approach, presenting their view within a philosophical framework, rather than discussing the specific observations of modern neuroscience and integrating their approach with it. It is likely that some readers may be unsatisfied with such an introspective approach, like theorizing about how many souls can dance on the head of a pin, which may or may not have any relation to actual reality. It would have been nice if this work had included more neurological scientific evidence. Of the contributors, Geotz makes the most reference to Scripture and seems most aligned with mainstream Christian thinking of soul and body as separate entities. In fact, he implies quite frequently that one reason supporting his view is that it is the majority opinion. (Which in a scholarly discussion such as this seems somewhat immaterial.) Nancey Murphy seems most grounded in and referential of contemporary scientific findings of brain neurobiology, including the basic realization that most of the matter of our bodies is replaced every seven years. The book concludes with the editor's discussion of how our modern concern with the individual soul may portray an enlightenment-era obsession with individuality that is not reflective of early Christian community-oriented worldview. In light of this, the chapter discusses the interaction of the four viewpoints with "required Christian practices" of hospitality and forgiveness (asserting that these two practices are fundamental tenets of Christ's message). I felt that this was a somewhat irrelevant discussion to the topic of the book, and advanced an unsupported extraneous topic of the editor's. Overall then, this book is an interesting start for one's own contemplation of the possible structure of our mind/body connection. The bibliography and footnotes cited provide fertile material for one's own study and research for further consideration of the topic, which is endlessly fascinating. However, one will not find an

Great Christian Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind

This fabulous book is a great Christian introduction to the Metaphysics of Persons. (Make no mistake: this is a piece of Christian philosophy!) Although it can be slightly technical at times, any motivated undergraduate or learned layman should have no problems tackling this book. It has six parts--an introduction, the four views, and a conclusion. Each view has about 25-30 pages, with 10-15 pages in response by the other three contributors. The introduction by Joel Green--one of the editors--provides various definitions and discusses the relevance of science, scripture, and experience to the metaphysics of persons. Representing immaterial approaches, we have two views. Stew Goetz argues for the first view: Substance Dualism. Goetz believes he is a immaterial substance, entirely distinct from his body, that possess certain abilities--like agency, cognition, the ability to feel pain and pleasure, etc (36-7). Goetz is an `antecedent dualist'--someone whose belief that he is an immaterial soul is basic. Using his antecedent dualism, Goetz provides an argument for his view called the `Simple Argument,' basically, that he is a simple substance, and his body is not simple, so he cannot be identical with his body (43-4). Bill Hasker argues for the second view: Emergent Dualism. Hasker believes that the structure of the brain and nervous system give rise to a soul (much the same way a magnet gives rise to a magnetic field). The soul `emerges' from the brain and nervous system (78-9). But, although this soul depends on physical components, it is not reduced to those physical components (83-5, 91-2). Furthermore, this soul has certain `emergent' powers--like free will. Hasker believes his view to establish a closer connection to the physical aspect of person than the Substance Dualism position. Concerning more materialistic/physical approaches, we have two views. Nancey Murphy defends the third view: Nonreductive Materialism. Murphy agrees that we are physical beings--she denies dualism--but she also believes that accepting physicalism does not entail the denial of human meaning, responsibility, and freedom (115). Higher functions of human persons are features of the physical world, but cannot be reduced to their microconstituents. Kevin Corcoran defends the fourth, and final view: Constitution. The idea here is that, my body constitutes me, without me being identical to my body, in the same way that a pile of marble can constitute the statue of David, without the state of David being identical to that marble. Hence, I am not an immaterial thing, but constituted by a material thing. And I, not my body, am a person with certain abilities and powers (157-60). Like many books in these sorts of series, the benefit is in the interaction between the authors. And, here is no exception. Many of the responses provide insightful comments, and beneficial distinctions. There are two things that mar the book. First, the conclusion, by Stuart Palmer, is a misfire. I

Not for the Faint of Soul

"In Search of the Soul" is written in the classic "four views" motif where four separate authors present their views on a top, with each author also responding to the other views. Readers receive an overview of primary current views of the nature of human nature. The writing is academic and dense, and thus not for the average reader, but for the academic specializing in biblical anthropology. For the specialist, this is surely the place to start in gaining an understanding of the current debate. Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Biblical Psychology," Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, and Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction .