Closing Arguments: J.P. Moreland’s Case for the Soul
Today, guest host Pat Flynn concludes his conversation with Dr. J.P. Moreland discussing arguments for the existence of the soul. Moreland argues that a strong, cummulative case can be made for the soul, and on this segment he reviews some of his top arguments. First, the existence of conscious states that have a “what it’s like” quality cannot be fully captured by physical description alone. This points to the existence of a non-physical aspect to consciousness. Second, purely physicalist explanations have difficulty bridging the “qualitative abyss” between physical and mental properties. Panpsychist approaches face their own challenges in adequately explaining the unity of consciousness. Third, the natural human tendency, even in children and across history, to believe in a soul or non-physical self that is distinct from the physical body suggests a direct awareness of our own immaterial nature. These and other arguments, says Moreland, come together to demonstrate the reality of the soul or mind as a non-physical aspect of human persons. This is Part 3 of a three-part discussion.
Additional Resources
- Part 1 of this conversion: Foundations of the Soul: A Conversation with J.P. Moreland
- Part 2 of this conversion: Which Theory of Mind Best Explains Reality? More with Dr. J.P. Moreland
- Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science
