On this episode, host Dr. Michael Egnor begins a conversation with Dr. Bruce Gordon about a chapter he wrote in the recent volume Minding the Brain titled “Mind Over Matter: Idealism Ascendant.” Dr. Gordon makes a case for idealism, a philosophy of mind positing that all of reality is, in some sense, mental. Egnor and Gordon discuss the plausibility of idealism as a way to understand the nature of reality, particularly in relation to the mind. Gordon explains that idealism suggests that matter is not substantial in itself, but rather a phenomenological experience. He argues that a theistic understanding of reality provides a more plausible explanation for why there is a world and why we are here to experience it. Dr. Gordon also discusses other approaches to the philosophy of mind, including physicalism and dualism. Gordon points out the inadequacies of these approaches, and concludes that idealism, particularly within a theistic context, makes the most sense. The conversation also highlights the social pressures and biases within the academic community that contribute to the popularity of physicalism and the reluctance to consider alternative perspectives.

Additional Resource

• Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science
• Michael Egnor at Discovery Institute
• Bruce Gordon at Discovery Institute